Fond du Lac County Connection
This podcast will provide listeners with updates on the happenings of Fond du Lac County departments and local government.
Fond du Lac County Connection
Episode Three : Suicide Prevention Month with NAMI
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Take a listen to this podcast with County Executive Sam Kaufman and Sue Metz from NAMI to discuss mental health here in Fond du Lac County. They go over statistics, stigma, and what NAMI is doing for our community!
Good afternoon. Uh Sam Kaufman, Fonlake County Executive here. Today I am joined in our third podcast with Sue Metz from the NAMI organization. Hello, Sue.
SPEAKER_00Hi. So yeah, I am the program coordinator for NAMI Fonlake County.
SPEAKER_01Fantastic. And NAMI is National Alliance of Mental Illness, correct? Correct. Okay, for it. So what I wanted to do is kind of give you an opportunity to tell the listeners about the organization. As I indicated you off the uh off of this, was that we've been trying here in the county to make more people aware of the nonprofit organizations. Obviously, this is a very important month. It's Suicide Awareness Month here in September. And we thought it was a perfect opportunity for have you or somebody from NAMI to come on in and talk about the organization itself. So what just kind of give me a little background about the organization?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so NAMI, as you said, is a National Alliance of Mental Illness. We are one of the biggest grassroots organizations that support individuals who live with a mental illness. We are a three-tiered organization, meaning we have a national office in Washington, D.C. Every state has their own state office, and then every state has local affiliates. So we are the local affiliate for Fondelac County. We have 44 different local affiliates throughout Wisconsin. We provide education, advocacy, and support for individuals who live with a mental illness, as well as the family members. We believe that if the family members can understand what their loved ones are going through and learn to support them appropriately, they're gonna have better outcomes.
SPEAKER_01Sure. And it's interesting because you talked about the individuals understanding. And I obviously a lot of people don't understand that because they haven't lived through that. When I saw statistics, it's about 54 million people have some form of mental illness in the United States alone. And I know that about the highest percentage of age groups, 18 to 25, have some form of mental illness. And if I remember right, I saw that the the biggest issues you have with regard to mental illness are you've got the bipolar, uh you've got depression, anxiety, uh PDSD is another one. I think, I think if I recall, depression and anxiety were the two biggest factors or two biggest areas of mental illness. And you don't see, you don't, a lot of people don't have that experience, even though it's like one out of five people have some form of mental illness itself. And a lot of people don't go understand because they're not experiencing living with a person like that. Um, I can tell you that, you know, my family were a foster care family, and it's always interesting to me because foster care kids, I do have a lot of different issues, of course, of mental illness. Uh, my my son we adopted, and the one we currently have in that, just the anxiety, uh, bouts of depression because of what they go through and that. And I freely admit, I didn't have a lot of understanding of these situations until we started fostering. You know, we live in our own little worlds in that. And since we don't have contact with a lot of individuals who have mental illness, we don't understand them and we don't understand what they're going through with it. Uh, but now my wife and I have a much better idea of what and how to deal with that because it there are times it is a daily thing that we have to go through and deal with depression, especially. I mean, they're coming from backgrounds where their life's in chaos, you know, and that and they don't understand themselves. And a lot of them will blame themselves and think it was their fault, you know, with it. And it's very unfortunate, you know, in that. But but you know, I uh I used to be a court commissioner and I would do the chapter 51 hearings and that the queue unit. And that was a big awakening for me as far as some of the mental illness I would see, bipolar, especially, was one of the biggest ones I would see. Uh, mental depression itself, uh, suicidal thoughts. I think around 13 million people or so, uh adults at least experience some form of suicidal thoughts uh every year, you know, within I think we're averaging about 50,000 people a year dying in the United States from suicide, you know, too. So the organization itself in Fondalac County, what do you actually do with regard to outreach or involvement with individuals?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we have different programming available, and so we do have a peer support group which meets monthly for individuals who live with a mental illness. We also have a family support group that meets once a month for individuals who have a loved one who lives with a mental illness. Uh we host a couple different um support groups at St. Catherine Drexel for that outreach piece because we know that if you're homeless, you likely have travel um problems, and we did not want that population to be left out of being able to be served. And so we brought the program to them. We have a support group for survivors of suicide loss, um, and then we have like programming that we can bring out to the community that's more of like a 50-minute presentation. So there's a couple different ones we can do there. We'll get one to the community in our own voice. So we have people who live with a mental illness that's willing to share their stories and how they've overcome it and what has worked for them to overcome their struggles. Uh we have programs that we can bring to the schools. Uh, ending the Silence is a 50-minute program that we can bring to eighth graders to 12th graders, uh, talking about uh mental illness and suicide awareness. And then for the third to fifth graders, we have mental health chat. Um, and so that is again a 50-minute presentation that talks about um depression and living in a fog, is how they describe it for that age group. And um we have recently this year uh started uh Togetherness events, and so it's uh event once a month that we hold, and they're different, and we try to aim it towards different populations just to kind of bring the community together and support those who live with a mental illness and bring out awareness. Um so we've done workshops, art um type workshops where we journaled our emotions. Um we've had uh or we're gonna have this month a movie night at the public library. Um we've had uh a paint um session. So yeah, we just tried to hit the different populations. Uh we've had goat yoga for Mental Health Awareness Month. Yeah, for Mental Health Awareness Month. Um so we kind of put the two together. Um and last month we partnered with uh Marion University to do um their disc golf. And so, yeah, they just tried different things.
SPEAKER_01So, you know, one of the statistics I saw, I think it was a John Hopkins did a study that talked about uh mental illness with regard to starting a lot of work becomes apparent at age 14 uh itself. And I thought it was very interesting because what I was trying to understand is social media now. What I tend to find is obviously, and I experienced with my own kids in that the bullying that went on with social media and that and how much how dependent some of these kids are on social media to find an acceptance in their own personal life, you know, between amongst their peers and that. So do you do you believe that that has really increased the the percentages of mental illness because of social media?
SPEAKER_00I personally do, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I would agree with you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it it has taken away their ability to socialize and have those conversations. And um research shows that socialization is very important for one's whole health and their wellness. And so I think that social media has taken that away.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and a lot of people go through in social media, they hide behind things and they say things they would never say to a person's face. I know we've had that conversation with uh one of my sons before about the fact that if you can't say it to them, don't say it at all. And that you're just hiding, you're a coward if this is what you're going to do behind social media, you know. But Facebook itself has become such an avenue for a lot of them Instagram, Snapchat, uh all of that. Um, and I find it troubling. I really do. And I think part of this probably because of my age and the fact that if I lived in a world we didn't have social media, uh we actually had to pick up a phone and call people with a cord. Yes. And you know, it was it was an easier time in a sense, you know, because I but I've seen this difference now with kids, and it's just shocking to me uh how much social media has really played into all that, especially their their need to find acceptance amongst a peer in that manner itself. So what do you have interaction much with regard to the school system too?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, like I said, so I have the ending the silence program that I have uh been able to uh provide to several different schools within our school district and continuing that work to get it out to more schools. Um I also work with YSCreen, um, and so their Y Screen does um uh surveys and assessments.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and the county funds part of that too. Yes actually.
SPEAKER_00And so uh that's for the uh now they're doing seventh and ninth graders this year to the schools that are willing to let the seventh graders go through the screening and just to identify if they have a mental illness um or a suicidal ideation or something that can be treated, you know, before it goes unnoticed and they go into adulthood. That um uh statistic that you shared uh with individuals being diagnosed by 14. They actually say 25% of individuals are diagnosed with mental illness by the age of 14, and 50% are diagnosed by the age of 24.
SPEAKER_01Wow. Wow. And and typically more women are diagnosed than men are itself in that. Um why do you think that is?
SPEAKER_00I think women are more likely to go to a therapist or a psychologist, psychiatrist, um, and open to get that diagnosis where I think society still kind of shelters men from getting in that help and asking for that help. And so that's another thing. Uh, working with the um mental health action team in Fondalac County, we are trying to reach out to more men. And so uh and I agree with you.
SPEAKER_01I think there is that stigma of a man not feeling like a man in that sense if they feel they need to get that type of help, that that in their mind nothing's wrong. I can handle this. Right. And the pressure on them itself to sit there and think they're they're less of a man if they are falling in that situation, which is very unfortunate itself. And you know, parents themselves too, sometimes I find they're you know, let's give you the example. When I go to a restaurant, what things that bothers me is when I sit and we're my family together and I watch over another family. What are they doing? All of them on their cell phones. Yeah, they're not communicating with the other, they're not doing anything at all. And I get concerned at times parents aren't paying attention to a lot of what their kids are going through and what they're doing because they're not checking their phones. You know, we have a rule in our house with our kids that their phone cannot have secret passwords, they have to be accessible by my wife anytime we want to, and we're constantly monitoring on that. And if we see a change in their behavior whatsoever, we're on top of it right away, you know, with that. But I don't know if many parents are doing that because I think a lot of them get stuck in that same social media world. Yeah, too.
SPEAKER_00I agree, and and I think back to you asking about the social media with the kids, I do think that a lot of parents are putting their attention to that phone and they're not having those one-on-one conversations and one-on-one moments with their children like we did when we were kids.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. We we always joke when my adult children must go out to dinner. We always say whoever's on the phone has to pay. It's the fastest time where I see them put their phones away right away. Although I'm still in the pain. My wife makes me do it all the time. But it it is, and it's it's unfortunate. But I think that that that whole world now we're in is so different. And I think I tell my sons all the time, I said, I wish you could have lived in this world before this happened. Right. You know, because it really was a big change in everything we do every day, and that computers, phones, everything. You know, and I think that's really had a negative impact. Uh, like you said, the lack of socialization now that's going on with regard to it. So, your organization itself, what can be done to help your organization? What what's the need to help you continue?
SPEAKER_00Um, well, we are a nonprofit organization, and we all of our financing is through grants, sponsorships, and um donations. Um, we also have uh two halftime staff, and everything else is volunteer, so always looking for volunteers and uh just individuals that are willing to help support us when we have campaigns and events is a big one. Um, and getting the word out there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it is. And and I we're always trying to figure out what's the best models to help out in that. I know we've gone through the situation right now with our inpatient facility itself. That was a very tough decision, I will tell you. Uh Jerry uh Ben Evanova, my director of human services, struggled with that one. And we've been talking about that for years. And Alan, my predecessor, dealt with the issue itself, but you know, we had to figure out a model. I know that when we looked at our statistics uh even yesterday, when I was looking at the census, I think we had five people, and I think half of those were out-of-county people, they weren't in final county residents. Uh, we now have going into the next year's budget, the acute unit is carrying into it about a $1.2 million deficit uh just from that. And you know, you were at uh the stakeholder meeting uh that stuff, where we're changing the model. And I I attribute actually, and I don't I want to ask you about this, our crisis intervention program we have. To me, that has been so successful, and that's why our numbers are down in the acute unit itself. Uh, do you have much con or contact with our social workers that are out in the field?
SPEAKER_00I really don't. Okay, not in that aspect.
SPEAKER_01Sure. Yeah, because I know um when I looked at the statistics from Jerry and our when I talked to the Sheriff's Department, for example, we have the one embedded with the Sheriff's Department, and we have one embedded with the city of Fond Lac, the county pays for. These individuals are out directly involved with those person, those individuals in crisis at that moment in that. And I think that has helped out a lot because they've been able to diffuse the situations, help them through realizing its services, where I think the old model was a pick them up, take them to the R, and they get detained and placed with it. And I'm just not a believer that you'll put them into a locked facility right away should always be the answer on that. I think a lot of those individuals want the help and they're willing to voluntarily cooperate with you to do that, but putting them into a locked facility to me, I think sets the wrong mentality for them too. I think it it confirms for them that they've done something wrong or there's an issue with regard to it. That's that's always been my perspective. And that and that's why I feel very strongly this crisis intervention program is something we need to enhance, is what we're doing. And then you know, or too, we've talked about phase two, which is to take the acute unit building and turn that into a crisis CBRF. Those those situations would be where those individuals aren't to the level of locked facility, but they need help, and we don't want to abandon them. So being able to say, hey, we've got a place for you to voluntarily come to and get that help. This way they know there's somebody there that cares and wants them to do that. But it'll be a work in progress in that. But we need organizations like yours out there helping because we know, like you talked about the homeless, you know, for example. That that one's very frustrating to me too, because when I know when I talked to Jerry Director, we've had this conversation when I know you remember this, we'd see a lot of the homeless on Main Street here in the city of Fond du Lac in that before they changed the ordinance. And our social workers would talk to them. Um, and many a times they didn't want the help. And that always shocked me, but it brought back a memory I had of my wife and my family have volunteered at what's called Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. We've gone down there a few different times to help out, and right near the building is what we call the L, it's the elevated train tracks that are there. And there's a large community over 300 homeless that stay there. And I remember talking to the pastor at the organization, and he's always frustrated because he says to me, he said to me, so many people show up there handing out food and different things that in the end they're just enabling them. They're not trying, they're not seeking the help because they don't need the help because everything's being handed to them there. But then a Pacific Garden has gone into their organization, into the groups, and same thing. A lot of them refuse to help because Pacific Garden offers housing, betting, job, you know, training, everything to get them onto a path. And they were in that situation, unfortunately, where some of them just don't want to on that. But he agreed there's that percentage of them that are suffering from mental illness and that. Absolutely. And same here, and I believe that fun, like we've had that here, and but you know, you can't force them into it. And I don't know if there's a distrust that they have when you try and offer help to them to do that. But yeah, I hope that we can still try and do something. But I was curious about how much or how much activity your organization has at all out in the field with these homeless individuals, you know, these people you're evaluating to help for services.
SPEAKER_00So we don't necessarily go out and interact with them in the environment. Sure. Um, it was just St. Catherine Drexel and Nami just kind of were talking and came together and were like, you know, we're missing that huge population. And we just talked about how can we bring those services to the individuals. And being that they have that facility where homeless people can stay, um we thought if we brought the programming to them, they'd be more open and willing to attend. And I can tell you that we have good attendance because St. Catherine Drexel um uses our programming as um part of their stay there. So they're kind of required, I guess, to attend different um programs that they offer. And so some will come in with an attitude and maybe not want to attend, but I've had so many people leave there and thanking us and saying thank you for being here. This was really nice and needed. Um because we don't focus on mental illness, we focus on um supporting individuals with mental health struggles. And obviously, if you don't have a place to live, you're probably struggling with your mental health. Yeah, I would agree. Everybody doesn't have to have a diagnosed mental illness to be able to receive the benefits of our programming.
SPEAKER_01Okay, excellent. Well, tell me where's your office located?
SPEAKER_00Uh just on the street at 86 South Macy Street.
SPEAKER_01So if individuals want to be able to go out and volunteer or send a donation, that would be the address they can do that?
SPEAKER_00They can uh yes. Um we do have a different mailing address, but we'll just keep it simple 86 South Macy Street. Um and then our email is info at Namifonelac.org. Okay. Um so they can reach out that way as well.
SPEAKER_01And what is your website address?
SPEAKER_00Our website is Namifonelac.org.
SPEAKER_01Okay. And is that someplace somebody can make a donation to or sign up to volunteer also?
SPEAKER_00Yes. So, yep, we have different links on there, hyperlinks, and so yeah, can make donation, can volunteer, can reach out for our programs. All our programming is on there.
SPEAKER_01Um again, this is Suicide Prevention Month itself, and so we're hoping that this may bring more awareness to individuals who are listening to maybe be more aware of friends and family members uh that might be experiencing difficulties themselves to maybe help try and you know intervene in some manner, get them the help they need or support. I said, you know, my view is always in government can't do everything, and that's organizations like yours that are out there in the uh the Catherine Drexel organization, too. All of them, we need those partnerships in that to try and make this thing work for the individuals. So I want to thank you for being here today for the podcast. I really do. Anything else you want to add at all before you leave?
SPEAKER_00Um, I think my biggest note to everybody is just be kind. Um you know, we need to break the stigma, we need to stop the judgment. Uh you don't know when somebody standing next to you is uh living with a mental illness. Um it can be somebody who's very productive in society um and it can be somebody who's struggling to, you know, just with everything. Um but you just never know. And so just being kind.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Well, thank you Sue for being here. I truly appreciate your time.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely.