One-Year Anniversary of Native and Strong
“Everyone’s reaching out to us like, How did this happen? How did you do this? What is the secret ingredient? This is the ingredient: if you are serving a community, hire them, consult with them first, and make sure they are there. That is it.” —Rochelle Williams, Tribal Operations Manager for VOAWW The seemingly simple… View Article
Running Towards the Emotional Recovery “Finish Line”
By Christian Burgess, LMSW, Director, Disaster Distress Helpline, Vibrant Emotional Health I’m the Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline, the nation’s only 24/7 crisis hotline dedicated to providing year-round access to immediate crisis counseling and support for survivors, loved ones of victims, emergency responders, and anyone in the U.S. and territories struggling with distress during… View Article
Help When it’s Needed Most: The National Disaster Distress Hotline
Barbara, a restaurant worker who was feeling extreme stress and anxiety for her family due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recently reached out for support to the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), administered by Vibrant. She shared that she is especially worried for her young children and was longing for safer times. In addition to the safety… View Article
Everyone Can Learn To Take Action With #BeThe1To
By empowering individuals with the tools to help people in crisis in their communities, we can support those who are struggling, demonstrate that suicide is not inevitable, and build a stronger mental health safety net for all.
Here’s What I Learned From My Suicide Attempt
When 9/11 happened, I joined the Marines. The Marines gave me a sense of being and purpose. When you’re in the Marines, you are trained from the first day that death is creeping in. It’s always creeping in. It has to be on top of your mind. That I might die in Iraq was more… View Article
How I turned my broken moments into a mosaic.
This blog post is authored by Pura Torres, a Peer Support Specialist for MHA-NYC’s NYC Well program. “I LOVE MY JOB!” Every time I say this, or think it, I can’t help but smile and laugh a little. Being a peer support specialist for MHA-NYC’s NYC Well program has become the most important part of… View Article
Speaking for Youth
DJ Wilkerson shares his experiences with MHA-NYC’s Queens Adolescent Skill Center, and how the Center helped him build his skills and gave him a chance to speak for youth without a voice.
Family Matters
Helping others is often the way we end up helping ourselves. No one knows that better than Michelle, who was able to help her two sons with the skills she learned on the job at NYC’s Bronx Family Resource Center (FRC). Her family’s transformation didn’t happen overnight. Back in 2004, Michelle was working with parents… View Article
Making a Difference: Abbie’s Story
Fifteen-year-old Abbie of San Antonio, Texas, knows firsthand what depression and suicide looked like. Her older sister attempted suicide last year, which eventually led Abbie to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. In 2012, the Lifeline launched You Matter, a blog written by five young adults like Abbie, who know suicide isn’t the solution and want… View Article