Out of Darkness Walk Staged at Shadow Lake
Press Release
WOODSFIELD – OhioRISE joined agencies in support of the second annual Ohio River Valley Out of the Darkness Walk in Monroe County to raise awareness of suicide, honor loved ones lost, and spread word that help is out there.
Jefferson County Educational Service Center (JCESC) OhioRISE is a Medicaid managed care program for children and youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs in Monroe, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties and operated by the Jefferson County Educational Service Center. OhioRISE was formed to coordinate resources and put families in touch with what is available.
Held at Shadow Lake Park at Miltonsburg on Sept. 13, the walk was an opportunity for people from across the community to learn about the range of services. Christi Block, volunteer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention would begin organizing the events following the loss of her son. She said more than 100 participants registered and the nine teams raised about $4,000. She welcomed agencies, including OhioRISE, that offer support and information to counter the perceived stigma surrounding mental health.
OhioRISE Care coordinator supervisor Leian Borsos whose staff covers Monroe, Belmont, Harrison and Jefferson Counties, stopped in. She has been active in strengthening OhioRISE’s presence locally.
“I am so happy to see this many people at this event,” she said. “It’s very important to bridge these connections.”
OhioRISE works with young people from birth to age 21 connecting them with a variety of resources including assistance with mental health, and when tragedy occurs for any member of a family, children are always impacted.
The care coordinators’ familiarity with their areas of operation is vital. OhioRISE follows the “wraparound” method of coordinating services to meet a young person’s needs.
“We are still building relationships in Monroe County. It is a very rural county, so resources can be hard to come by,” she said.
One goal is trying to bring resources to the forefront so that families OhioRISE works with have knowledge and access. Borsos said OhioRISE is also building relationships in the schools. Participation in events like the awareness walk is another opportunity to reach out.
“Connecting them with resources that can be either brought into the home, or that the family can even learn from,” she said. “When other people come in from the mental health field and we can explain some things such as depression and anxiety and actually to talk about those things, I think that’s a huge piece of that, because a lot of times the community doesn’t talk about mental health and depression and anxiety.”
Borsos said they are able to fill multiple roles.
“Being able to connect families with their MCO (managed care organization) to help with transportation needs is a huge benefit.”
She pointed out care coordinator Michelle Wells, who was busily acquainting others with OhioRISE.
“We share resources. We share information to make sure when we go back to work on Monday, we can do referrals for our members who may need those connections, and vice versa,” Borsos said.
Wells was gregarious as she introduced herself to other participants. She joined in the awareness walk with her own children.
“I have had quite a few people reach out and say they are involved in OhioRISE and they enjoy their participation in our program. Just reaching out to the different providers that are here today helps us understand what they do, and we help them understand what we do as OhioRISE care coordinators,” Wells said.
Ashley Wilson, Ohio area director with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, commented on the outpouring of participation. She was also impressed to hear about OhioRISE’s service, adding that the program seemed to meet important needs, particularly among families who are seeking help for their children.
Wendy Ware, community-based prevention specialist with the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center and coordinator for the Monroe Helping Ohioans through Prevention and Empowerment (HOPE) Alliance, is familiar with OhioRISE.
“They do a lot of advocating for children and working with children and their families. They’re a great community partner, very involved with our local coalition and making connections to help support students in the area.”
Debbie Chambers, community member and concerned citizen active in area organizations related to the schools, was very interested to hear about OhioRISE.
“I think OhioRISE is a resource that’s untapped that we don’t know a lot about but has wonderful, wonderful potential. They have resources to help kids and families that is fabulous, and reaching out to them is really easy. They’re easy to talk with and they’ll guide you in whatever direction they can help you with.”
Julie Gomez, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Wheeling, knows the benefits of OhioRISE.
“We work closely with OhioRISE, so oftentimes when OhioRISE is working with young kids and their families, they’ll reach out to us about some of the programs that we have to help support the families.”
Gomez said these partnerships are valuable since parents and caregivers also often need additional help.
“That’s where we can step in and partner with OhioRISE to provide some of those support services,” she said. “It just helps in terms of connecting the families with the resources that are out in the community to support them so they can continue on a healthy path.”
She added OhioRISE plays an important part in outreach.
“That’s what’s really key. OhioRISE helps connect us with those families that don’t know about us,” she said. “We can’t hit everybody.”
Southeast Healthcare therapist Maddy Yoder has found OhioRISE very helpful. They often share clients.
“If they feel like a kid needs therapy, they can come to us and we can work together,” she said. “They seem pretty knowledgeable helping some of our families. I know they’ve worked a lot with some of my families who are in kinship here and helping those families with resources.”
To learn more about OhioRISE, call 740-792-4011, email ohiorise.info@jcesc.org or visit OhioRISE online.
(OhioRise press release)
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