Burrell Behavioral Health is pleased to announce a community movement to save lives through suicide prevention. Businesses and individuals who pledge to be part of this new initiative, called ONE (Our Networks Engaged), will receive free training on how to recognize mental health warning signs, talk about suicide with loved ones and connect them with resources to help.
The CDC reports, in 2019, more than 47,500 people died from suicide in the United States, which is about one death every 11 minutes. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Missouri and Arkansas. Across the country, suicides and suicide attempts cost $70 billion per year in lifetime medical and work-loss costs alone.
The heart-breaking but hope-giving truth is this: suicide is preventable. All it takes is one person to save a life, and you can be the ONE. By sharing openly and listening intently, we can help each other survive moments of hopelessness. If you’re thinking about suicide, or think someone else is, talk about it. Sometimes, just asking how someone is feeling can help.
This summer, Burrell Behavioral Health became the first organization to take the ONE pledge, committing to providing QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) training for every one of its employees.
“While many of our team members are behavioral health providers who interact with clients every day, they’re not the only ones who can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors,” said Burrell President and CEO C.J. Davis. “We strive to equip every person in our organization with the tools to feel comfortable and capable talking about suicide within our walls and out in the community.”
Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) and SRC have also taken the organizational pledge, ONE’s first nonprofit participant.
“We are incredibly excited to offer suicide prevention programming to all of our OACAC team members,” said Sara Villines, CSBG Project Coordinator for OACAC. “The work they do every day for our communities deserves all of the support we can provide. By being a part of ONE we can not only improve the lives of our staff, but save lives and improve outcomes in the communities we care so much about.”
“It is vital to have a stable and safe place to work,” said Jack Stack, Founder, President & CEO of SRC Holdings Corporation. “With ONE we can now improve our mental health programs and integrate them into our corporate wide safety and health programs.”
How ONE works:
Businesses that pledge to be part of the ONE Initiative will work with Burrell experts to learn about suicide and implement a suicide prevention project with their employees, while establishing a mental health wellness program at their workplace. Burrell is offering free trainings to businesses and organizations to provide training and program implementation designed to prevent suicide. Team members will learn how to talk about suicide, look for warning signs and ultimately look out for each other.
Individuals who pledge will commit to taking specific steps to develop and spread awareness in their communities, including:
- Committing to four honest conversations about suicide
- Sharing three resources or social media content over the next 12 months
- Participating in two trainings and two surveys
- Making one Commitment: Maintaining commitment to the pledge to take active steps to increase awareness and lean into honest conversations about suicide prevention.
ONE will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 with the ONE Summit, a free, virtual event open to the public. During the ONE Summit, you will hear from businesses that have signed the ONE pledge, hear personal stories about suicide and learn more about this life-saving program. It will last from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
Suicide prevention can feel like a daunting and overwhelming responsibility, but you don’t have to do it alone. Burrell Behavioral Health’s ONE Initiative will create a network of businesses and community members dedicated to suicide awareness and education. For employers, leaders and individuals who want to learn more about getting involved with the ONE Initiative, click here.
Join Burrell Behavioral Health in this community movement to save lives. Be the ONE.
Media Contact: Matt Lemmon, Vice President of Communications, Burrell Behavioral Health, 417-415-1386
About Burrell Behavioral Health
Burrell Behavioral Health is the second largest behavioral health center in Missouri, working with more than 40,000 clients across 25 counties in Missouri and Arkansas. Burrell has more than 400 licensed providers offering a full continuum of care through our integrated network. Services include individual therapy and counseling, addiction recovery, psychiatric and medication management, educational and therapeutic groups, crisis intervention, medication-assisted treatment, adult stabilization, case management, residential treatment, autism, diagnostic testing and evaluations and developmental disability support. Learn more about Burrell’s programs and services at www.burrellcenter.com.