Barnstable County Government’s Post

The recent events at Bondi Junction have left us all feeling devastated, and our thoughts are with the families, first responders, and everyone affected by this tragic situation. As we process this tragedy, it is crucial to consider the impact of ongoing media coverage on our children. Media coverage, whether on TV or online, is constantly available and can be replayed multiple times. While these events are traumatic for adults, they can be even more overwhelming for children. It is important for us to be mindful of how we discuss these events with our children and the potential impact it may have on their mental well-being. In the link below we have shared a link to a factsheet from Emerging Minds, which provides guidance on how to talk to children about violent events in age-appropriate ways. We hope that this resource will be helpful in navigating this difficult conversation with your family. Please remember to take care of yourselves and each other during this challenging time, and Kids helpline is also available 24 hours a day 7 days a week on 1800 55 1800. https://lnkd.in/gFWNH5Mw

#WorldSuicidePreventionDay highlights the mental health struggles faced by officers and the importance of taking action to prevent tragic outcomes. Prioritizing mental health, breaking stigmas, and providing access to resources can help protect those who protect us. Mental health is as important as physical health, and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. As September marks National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, it is crucial to focus on a group that is often under immense stress—police officers. These individuals are tasked with protecting the public, but their own mental health is frequently overlooked. The challenges they face daily can lead to significant mental health struggles, making suicide prevention efforts within this community a critical concern. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund remains committed to eliminating officer suicides and removing any obstacles to officer wellness through high quality programming, education, and outreach to our nations law enforcement partners. Americas law enforcement officers deserve the highest level of respect and support, and the NLEOMF will continue to endeavor our tireless efforts to bring resources to the exceptional men and women in blue who keep our county safe.

September is Recovery Month worldwide! As a woman now visible in my own recovery, I’m thrilled to see messages like "Recovery Is Possible," "This Is What Recovery Looks Like," and ODAAT (One Day at a Time) shared here on LinkedIn and within our communities! We’ll see these messages spreading online from every corner of the globe—people unafraid to be recognized as individuals in recovery - for the entire month of September! If we could look back on the past 35 years since National Recovery Month was initiated by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), we would see a growing trend: more and more people making their person recovery journeys visible to their families, neighbors, co-workers and communities. Even since I launched Journey in 2019, there's been a remarkable increase in the number of people, workplaces, and organizations eager to support the recovery messaging and movement in the communities where they live and work. The purpose of Recovery Month is to promote and support treatment and recovery practices, celebrate the strong and proud recovery community, and honor the dedication of service providers and community members who make recovery possible. AND for those quietly living their best lives in recovery and cheering it on - all the respect and love for you too! Not everyone needs to recover out loud - but I hope everyone with a desire is able to recover. However that works for them. Forever grateful. 2/12/93 #NationalRecoveryMonth #RecoveryIsPossible #RecoveryJourney #ODAAT

***NEXT SESSION STARTING SOON*** Cedars' Discovery Family Program offers a transformative experience for families to heal, embrace acceptance, and flourish both individually and together. The weekend-intensive Discovery Program is crafted to bolster families by delving into connection, self-acceptance, and mutual support. Negative behavioral cycles, unresolved trauma, anger, and resentments extend beyond the individual struggling with addiction. Often, by the time families seek assistance, the effects of a substance use disorder have deeply affected them. Built by family for family, we recognize the importance of a reliable ally to accompany you at every step of the recovery journey. Remember, you're not on this path alone; recovery is a voyage, and we're here to help navigate. Our Family Programming is accessible to all who seek connection and healing, making it an ideal starting point for your engagement with the Cedars' community. To find out more or to enroll: https://ow.ly/ayBJ50Sl32S

Let’s talk about trauma in the Shelter System and Encampments. Most of us living in stable housing rarely experience trauma and violence in our own living spaces. We are not constantly exposed to traumatic events such as people dying, extreme verbal agression, being threatened with physical violence, open substance use, or constant theft of our belongings. In part, fear of these types of traumatic events triggers concern and anger when we see encampments in our neighborhoods, or that a shelter will be opening near us. In Shelters and Encampments, exposure to trauma is a daily event. Now, imagine witnessing trauma every single day for a year or longer. A British Columbia study of a group of chronically houseless individuals found that over 75% of the individuals in the study would meet the DSM-5 criteria for a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The trauma of losing my home, my belongings, my family, my schooling, and my future was already a challenge for me to manage with what little coping skills I had. I continued to experience daily trauma the entire 3 years I was houseless, both in shelters and on the streets. When I reached out for help, there was none to be had. I was not made “better” by the Shelter System. I was made more unwell, more undesirable to society, and more incapacitated by a system that refused to hear me screaming in pain and agony. This is why Shelters and Encampments are a hurtful stop-gap measure. They make us more unhealthy, more unwell, and less able to trust others, even those who want to help us. We need better solutions. #NothingForUsWithoutUs #Houselessness #Homelessness #HousingCrisis

***NEXT SESSION STARTING SOON*** Cedars' Discovery Family Program offers a transformative experience for families to heal, embrace acceptance, and flourish both individually and together. The weekend-intensive Discovery Program is crafted to bolster families by delving into connection, self-acceptance, and mutual support. Negative behavioral cycles, unresolved trauma, anger, and resentments extend beyond the individual struggling with addiction. Often, by the time families seek assistance, the effects of a substance use disorder have deeply affected them. Built by family for family, we recognize the importance of a reliable ally to accompany you at every step of the recovery journey. Remember, you're not on this path alone; recovery is a voyage, and we're here to help navigate. Our Family Programming is accessible to all who seek connection and healing, making it an ideal starting point for your engagement with the Cedars' community. To find out more or to enroll: https://ow.ly/R2Yt50Sl32R

Yesterday Mental Health Advocates of WNY launched a very important resource a *Teen Chat Line!!* See below for more info & share ~ you never know needs support, MHA is there💚 mhawny.org #TeenMentalHealth #Teens #TeenSupport #MentalHealth #JustTellOne #BeHeardBeHelped

Today we'd like to share a resource from domesticshelters.org on the subject of polyvictimization. Polyvictimization refers to experiencing multiple types of traumas or victimizations such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, exposure to family violence, neglect and bullying, and usually at the hands of multiple perpetrators. It’s critical to know if a victim of abuse or other trauma has also been subjected to various traumas as this combined experience can play a part in both the long-term health effects and the types of services this person needs going forward. Some research suggests that polyvictimization is more detrimental than experiencing multiple incidents of the same trauma repeatedly. Interested in learning more? Click the following link to read further. https://bit.ly/3WpBa02

I hope to hear discussions on equality, mental illness awareness, our failure as a nation to adequately provide assistance to so many people who are simply falling through the cracks. I believe discussion on how to tackle addiction, homelessness, as well as how we can begin to integrate informative lesson plans into our schools as to properly prepare our nations youth for emotionally traumatizing situations, how to avoid physical confrontations, providing proper mental health advocates for grade school students, as well as an in depth discussion on the mental states of perpetrators of campus shootings. These issues will not go away until we face them head on and create legislation, support groups, community guidance strategies etc. We must stop ignoring the issues all around us and begin to focus on how to repair this once great nation which has fallen into recent despair.