Week 4: Advocate for change: Your voice matters.
Key messages and actions
Talking about mental health and suicide on a community-level can help raise awareness and support of suicide prevention efforts and encourage those who need extra support to connect to services. Surrounding people and families with supportive neighborhoods, businesses, faith communities, schools, services is a critical way to support every person. Communities that work together in an intentional and proactive way is vital to providing needed mental health and suicide prevention support and resources.
Ideas for action include:
▪ Start conversations that focus on normalizing mental health over stigma reduction.
▪ Promote help seeking and sharing mental health and suicide prevention support services or resources for those in need.
▪ Emphasize that suicide is preventable and there are actions individuals can take if they are having thoughts of suicide or know others who are or might be. Resources such as the 988 Lifeline and established local mental health service providers and crisis centers.
▪ Learn the warning signs as well as risk, and equally important, know what is effective to protect individuals (protective factors).
Social media posts to share:
▪ Community conversations are a common thread that builds community. There are many ways to hold conversations within your community. Consider searching for a community education class or community recreation programs near you to help you talk about mental health and suicide prevention. #YouMatterMN #CreateHopeThroughAction
▪ Community can be defined as a feeling of fellowship with others because of shared common attitudes, interests, and goals. Where do you find your community? #YouMatterMN #CreateHopeThroughAction
▪ Our community plays an important role in our mental health and wellbeing. What in your community supports your mental health and wellbeing? #YouMatterMN #CreateHopeThroughAction
▪ Every person and organization in the community has a role in normalizing conversations about mental health and suicide. To see what you can do, explore the Normalizing Conversations About Mental Health and Suicide (https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/suicide/documents/convsuictkit.pdf) Recommended actions, tools, and resources can be used to normalize conversations about mental health, prevent Minnesotans from having suicidal experiences, and improve the lives of people who are struggling. #YouMatterMN #CreateHopeThroughAction