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The Silent Battlefront of Veteran Suicide and the Measures Being Taken to Help Them
On Friday, May 30th, 2014, I woke up to one of the most devastating phone calls I’ve ever received. My best friend for almost a decade, Joshua Drury, who was in his mid-thirties at the time, had taken his life. Joshua had served many years in the U.S. Army prior to our meeting. While he told us...
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Family Mental Health: How Your Organization Programs and Services Are Helping
For over 50 years, Vibrant Emotional Health (formerly known as The Mental Health Association of NYC) has been fulfilling its mission to help people achieve mental and emotional well-being with dignity and respect. The work of the organization has branched into comprehensive direct service programs...
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How Mental Health Stigma Drives Suicide Risk
The inter-relationship between suicide risk, mental illness, and stigma against mental illness is multi-faceted and strong. Both mental illness and suicide are highly stigmatized. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) identifies mental illness as a significant risk factor for...
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To End the Drug Crisis, Bring Addiction Out of the Shadows
When I was six years old, as I was having dinner with my mother and three sisters, my mother received a telegram. She broke down crying as she read it. Her father - my grandfather - had died. In her grief, she locked herself in her room and would not let me console her. The memory of my inability...
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Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra Kicks Off National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health
Following President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 2, 2022, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra kicked off the National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health in an effort to hear directly from Americans across the country about the behavioral health...
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Suicide Prevention is Everyone’s Business
September 10th of each year is World Suicide Prevention Day and that concurrent week is Suicide Prevention Week in the US. WellLife Network (WLN) routinely provides and offers community awareness and trainings for NYC and Long Island Communities. We would like to ask all agencies in NYC to...
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988 Suicide Lifeline Expected in July 2022 Thanks to SAMHSA Grant
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant) will be the administrators of the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline). A pair of the agency’s grants, totaling $48 million and...
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Suicide Prevention Survey: WellLife Network Needs Your Help
Suicide rates in America were continuing to increase at alarming rates even before COVID-19. However, the economic and sociopolitical landscape as well as the increased turmoil, stress due to uncertainty, and disruption in people’s lives since COVID-19 has caused tragic changes in the lives of...
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A Safe Space: Digital Tools Supporting Mental Health
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe last year, collectively, mental health challenges were intensified. With the pandemic, a series of lockdowns, restrictions, and preventative measures were put in place, forcing many of us into isolation, primarily interacting in digital spaces. We’ve also...
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Computerized Screening May Help Identify Youth at Risk for Suicide
Researchers have developed a fast, computerized screening test to identify youth at risk for attempting suicide. The test could help emergency departments quickly get supportive services to those who need it. Suicide rates for adolescents have risen over the past two decades. In 2019, nearly...
