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The national designation is meant to encourage making mental health top of mind, without stigma, and to advocating for public policies that prioritize access to mental healthcare for all. It is also a prime opportunity to offer education on mental health.

As Kansas City’s largest community health center and certified community behavioral health center, Swope Health is a cornerstone in local mental health advocacy and service.

This month, Swope Health will receive recognition for its role in serving mental health with an award from the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.’s Kansas City Metropolitan Area Graduate Chapters. Swope Health will be honored at an event at 6 p.m. Monday, May 6, at the University of Central Missouri, Lee’s Summit Campus, 1101 NW Innovation Parkway, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086.

The award is titled “Honoring Swope Health – A Trauma-Informed Care Program Making a Positive Difference for the Community.” The event is open to college students and public and registration is requested by May 3.

The purpose of the event is to “use collective efforts to fight stigma and raise awareness related to depression, anxiety, and trauma.” The event also features a panel discussion, with:

• Penny Rice, addiction therapist
• Breora Page, school-based therapist
• Carla Lee, Swope Health’s Youth Behavioral Health Liaison
• And moderator Sylvya Stevenson, founder and president of the National Congress of Black Women-KC

The event and the award to Swope Health are also commemorated in a proclamation issued by the City of Kansas City.

“All of us at Swope Health are so honored by this award,” said Josette Mitchell, executive vice president of Behavioral Health at Swope Health. “This puts a welcome spotlight on our associates who bring empathy, compassion, open dialog and enormous talent, skills, and training to work with individuals and families in our community. We are proud of this moment to shine.”

Swope Health is a champion for mental health services and an advocate for destigmatizing mental illness. The Behavioral Health department provides services in substance-use disorders; counseling for adults and children; medication-assisted treatment; individual, family and group therapy; crisis intervention; residential care services; job placement and much more.  In 2023, Swope Health served more than 7,300 individuals.

Learn more about Swope Health’s Behavioral Health services online or by visiting us at Swope Health Central.

Fast Facts

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14

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The local partnership has produced a Mobile Care Team, jointly staffed and managed, to respond to calls to the 988 hotline – the national suicide prevention lifeline. The partnership has also produced processes and procedures that assure high standards of care and consistency in service, no matter when the call comes, where the help is needed or who responds.

This partnership is unique in the state of Missouri, according to the Department of Mental Health. The partnership’s leaders hope it will become a model for others.

The benefits

When the 988 campaign rolled out in July 2022, it was the result of years of planning that involved a network of providers, law enforcement, and a variety of other agencies. Everyone who calls the hotline is connected with a crisis counselor trained to provide care and support for persons experiencing mental health-related stress. The idea is to assist people who are experiencing thoughts of suicide or harm to self or others, substance use crisis, trauma, or other emotional distress.

Locally, the region was divided into four separate areas, with four organizations assigned to respond, noted Laurie Cox, Swope Health’s director of Crisis Services. With her counterpart at University Health Behavioral Health, Robbie Phillips, the pair led their two organizations to form a team.

“We wanted to erase some of the boundaries and, at the same time, optimize staffing and financial resources,” she said.

Ultimately, the two organizations agreed to a formal memo of understanding that produced the jointly branded Mobile Care Team. The Mobile Care Team leverages the strengths of each party, while providing consistency in response practices and nurturing a culture of collaboration.

How it works

The Mobile Care Team operating 24 hours a day, is jointly staffed. University Health and Swope Health jointly interview candidates for the team, and program directors and managers for both organizations meet weekly. They’ve developed standard policies and procedures and are working through the logistics of gaining access to each other’s electronic medical records.

When a call comes in to the 988 center, the call taker performs an assessment and assigns the call for response. The response might be to seek emergency medical care with an ambulance, offer community resources, request police support, or dispatch the mobile crisis team.

The 988 calls are free and confidential.

When the Mobile Care Team gets a call, the first step is to make contact with the individual, Laurie said. The Mobile Care Team will then determine a safe location for meeting the individual, and then engage with the person. The goal is to avoid a 911 call or hospitalization, to remove the immediate threat of self-harm or harm to others.

“We’ve seen very positive responses to handling crisis situations,” Laurie said. “We’ve been able to resolve situations and take the individual to a safe place.”

To the individual in crisis, there are several positive factors – avoiding law enforcement involvement, avoiding expense of ambulance and related concerns, like childcare or transportation. The services are provided in a non-clinical setting and frequently will engage the client’s natural supports.

The Mobile Care Team also checks in with the client within 72 hours, encouraging further engagement with referrals for transportation to appointments and access to care, including medical, substance use therapy or other behavioral healthcare services. The team also monitors high-risk clients.

It can take considerable effort to help individuals engage in ongoing services, Laurie noted, recalling one client who received three months of follow-up queries before successfully engaging in outpatient services.

To the community, the Mobile Care Team is alleviating the load on law enforcement and emergency medical services and reducing hospitalizations. The program also erases a dividing line between service areas down the middle of the metro area.

What’s next

The Mobile Care Team is working on strengthening the partnership with common offices at the University Health facility. This can speed up the response, having both members of the team in the same location, with the Mobile Care Team transportation van.

Recognizing the value of collaboration, the Mobile Care Team is strengthening relationships with the Certified Community Behavioral Health Organizations in the region – Comprehensive / Burrell, ReDiscover, and Beacon Mental Health. The collaboration extends to the MidAmerica Regional Council, which operates the area’s 911 service, and is expanding to include law enforcement.

The Swope Health / University Health team recently delivered a presentation at the 10^th annual Missouri Behavioral Health Coalition conference in Kansas City, detailing the partnership, in hopes of extending the model. In December, the team will deliver a presentation on “Mobile Crisis Team Response” in a national webinar for other crisis teams and mental health professionals.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, dealing with depression, anxiety, or considering self-harm or harm to others, call or text 988 or 888-279-8188. The call is free and confidential.

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The event is free and open to all. The holiday mart features local retailers, designers, chefs selling their items, including handbags, jewelry, clothing, lotions, candles, scented products, crafts, blankets, and holiday décor.

You can also have lunch while you shop, with a menu offering nachos, hot dogs, chips and more.

Proceeds from the event are used for the Adult Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program. This program helps individuals develop life skills, access resources, and learn to manage mental illness. The program guides participants toward success in the living, working, learning, and social environments of their choice, while encouraging recovery and resilience.

We look forward to seeing you at the Holiday Mart!

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Swope Health supports the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline and the suicide prevention campaign year-round.

In 2022, in Missouri, the 988 hotline handled more than 38,000 calls, texts and chats. Yet still more than 1,200 Missourians died by suicide in 2022.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Missourians age 18-34. Missouri, with the 19^th highest suicide rate in the country, consistently sees suicide rates higher than those in the United States as a whole. In Missouri, 66 percent of suicides involved firearms.

The goal of the suicide awareness prevention campaign is to spread tips and understanding about actions you can take to promote healing, provide help, and give hope to anyone experiencing a crisis.

“A quote I really like says, ‘Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always,’” said Laurie Cox, director of Crisis Services at Swope Health.

“The important thing is to take our eyes off our phones and really look at people,” she said. “Pay attention to those around us. Just acknowledging someone can save a life, can give someone the hope they need to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

The campaign this year, called “Be the 1 to…,” focuses on five specific actions available to everyone.

BE THE 1 TO:

ASK: According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “research shows people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks about them in a caring way.” You can be the one to show you care.

BE THERE: After asking, take the time to listen, without judgment. Just the act of listening can be empowering and reduce feelings of depression. You can be the one who offers that calm path away from being overwhelmed.

KEEP THEM SAFE: You can support a person in crisis by making sure lethal means are not readily available. For someone with suicidal thoughts, the steps required to gain access to locked weapons can be time enough to slow down and refocus.

HELP THEM STAY CONNECTED: You can help by tapping your network, community resources, and mental health professionals, such as at Swope Health. For someone at risk, knowing that resources are available can be a spark for positive action.

FOLLOW UP: You can stay in touch and check in with the at-risk individual after the crisis has abated. It can be a phone call or text, just to see how they’re doing. It’s an act of caring that can make a difference.

HOW WE CAN HELP:

Swope Health provides comprehensive behavioral health services, including crisis intervention, therapy, substance use treatment and an array of programs to assist with transportation, housing, nutrition, healthcare, education and employment. We also have a mobile unit that provides services in the community.

Call 816-922-1070 to request an appointment or more information. Swope Health has a walk-in process for new clients, Monday-Friday from 8 am to 3 pm.

If you or a loved one are experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts, call 988. This is a 7X24 free emergency line for access to a trained crisis counselor.

FACTS ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

• Suicide is the 11^th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• In 2021, more than 48,000 Americans died by suicide.
• In 2021, firearms accounted for 54 percent of suicide deaths.
• 94 percent of Americans believe suicides can be prevented.

It starts with you! Learn more about steps you can take to help anyone coping with a crisis.

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The gun-safety initiative is a response to increasing rates of suicide in the United States and the recognition that firearms were used in more than half of all suicides. Studies show an alarming increase in suicide deaths among Black youth and adolescents; at the same time, Americans are buying guns at roughly twice the level of 15 or 20 years ago.

The gun lock and lockbox giveaway is also in response to alarming gun violence in Kansas City, which is contributing to a new record of homicides in 2023. As of July 24, the city has seen 114 homicides, according to the Kansas City Police Department. There have also been more than 265 non-fatal shootings.

The Swope Health mobile outreach unit carries two types of gun locks and two models of lockboxes for free distribution. The goal is to keep guns safely out of reach from persons who may have suicidal or homicidal thoughts, said Laurie Cox, Director of Crisis Services at Swope Health.

“We know that if we can encourage a person in crisis to slow down, to shift their focus elsewhere, the moment of crisis can pass,” she said.  For example, she said, one client has taped photos of family members on the gun lockbox, so whenever there’s temptation to act with the gun, they first encounter beloved images that spark a different emotion.

“Anything that can shift focus can help slow down the access to the gun and maybe prevent violence,” she said.

The Swope Health program is funded by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, as part of the national rollout of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Swope Health is part of the network of caregivers supporting the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The 988 lifeline, which launched just one year ago in July 2022, is a three-digit phone call that works in the same way as 911. When you dial 988, you will be connected with a crisis counselor trained to provide care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress.  Organized by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the program can assist with thoughts of suicide, substance use crisis, trauma, or other emotional distress.

A regular part of the work of the Crisis Team is to reduce access to lethal means, such as firearms, sharp objects and medications. Case managers, therapists and members of the crisis team routinely talk with families about how to remove those lethal items when caring for someone struggling with suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

The guidance uses an approach known as CALM, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means, which has been proven effective.  Case managers create a specialized and personalized safety plan for each client, and educate the family and support structure on the evidence behind the approach.

Swope Health joins other organizations, including the Kansas City Police Department, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and Grandparents for Gun Safety, a local non-profit, in offering free gun locks. There are several programs at other organizations around the country as well.

For more information or to request a gun lock or a lock box, please call the Swope Health Crisis Team at 816-599-5630.

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Father Focus is a new six-week peer counseling program at Imani House, designed to help men build better relationships with their children. The current program has about 20 participants and celebrated its first graduation on June 1.

The Father Focus program combines an evidence-based curriculum with group discussion and counseling, said Frederick Wilson, Peer Specialist for Substance Use Disorders. Wilson, who launched the empowerment program, is also a pastor, a Child Protective Services worker, Certified Associate Alcohol & Drug Counselor II, and a Medication-Assisted Recovery Specialist.

Wilson uses his many professional certifications and training in the Father Focus program, but he also draws upon his life experiences, including 23 years in prison for 53 felonies to address a need: men fulfilling their roles as fathers.  “The greatest epidemic is not AIDs, racism or opioids,” he said, “but absentee fathers. What are we doing to address this?”

One of the core goals of the program is teaching men new skills.

“I want these men to pay attention to what’s inside,” he said. “You’ve got to learn to love yourself, see yourself as valuable.”  Wilson notes that the men in the program, all from Imani House, face daily challenges of addictive behavior and varying experiences of trauma.

Wilson is a role model for the men, speaking openly about his personal experiences – the stubbornness, tough-guy bluster and violence that led him to jail. “I wouldn’t quit,” he said. He points to a mug shot on his office door – a smiling closeup, full of bravado, with the caption “Eastern Reception – Bonne Terre, Missouri #535364” and the date 04/26/13. Just above the mug shot, however, is a more recent photo of Wilson – again smiling, but this with kindness and sparking eyes, and wearing a tuxedo.

He uses the photos in talking with the Father Focus participants. The photos show the juxtaposition of the times of Wilson’s life, and his evolution to man of faith, integrity, and wisdom. He explains how an FHA home loan application rejection gave him cause to celebrate, for it told him why the application was rejected and he clearly saw what he needed to do to get an approval.

He looks for life lessons in every encounter, and he shares his personal story to illustrate the power of believing in yourself. It resonates with the men in the program, who know they can share anything with him, know they can trust him as he helps them identify destructive patterns in their lives.

Ron Carr is a Kansas City native with more than 20 years’ experience in a high-stress corporate role, which produced cycles of addiction and depression.

“Throughout my addiction, I was not a communicative father,” said Carr, a member of the Father Focus inaugural graduating class. “I did child support, but I got away from communicating with my two daughters.”

He credits Wilson with helping him change his mindset, with deep engagement and trust. “Frederick was the first person here I met. He saw something in me.”

Wilson uses his stories and guides the men in the Father Focus program. “We talk and give therapy to each other,” Carr said. “He taught us to be open.”

Taking the program to heart, Carr decided to lead by example. He asked to spend Thanksgiving with his family, two daughters, age 34 and 33, and their children. He asked them to talk, to really unload how they felt about him, and he promised to listen.

“It took a man to sit there,” he said. “It was hard, and we all shed tears.”

Carr said he wanted to show that he is willing to change to be a part of their lives. And his life has changed since then, he said.

The bonds of trust are building, he said, noting with some surprise that now his daughters call him and he receives texts and photos from the grandkids. “These are grown women who will call me to talk about issues and problems, and I’m there to receive. I’m totally involved.”

He continued: “This program taught me to be the person I wanted to be with my children.”

Joe Vesper Owen III is another member of the inaugural Father Focus graduating class who’s building a new chapter with his family.

“It completely changed the way I talk to them, the way I treat them, the way I react to them,” he said about his grandchildren. Owen said he never had much presence in the lives of his children and saw that his three grandchildren now faced the same situation without fathers being present.

Father Focus taught Owen how to play with and talk with his three grandsons, ages 7, 4 and 3. “I never knew how negative swear words can be on growing minds,” he said, noting that he is breaking habits of cursing, like threatening a “whupping.” He slipped once, with the youngest and apologized, asking the little one to help him change.  The child responded with love.

“I am so very grateful for what this program has taught me. I’m able to break the cycle,” he said. “My grandchildren — they are my purpose.”

Owen, who lives in Oak Grove, credits Imani House with helping him gain his self-respect and a new attitude. “I am a different person, inside and out. I am learning who I am, and my gratitude is immeasurable.”

Swope Health Imani House, 3950 E. 51^st St., Kansas City, offers adult substance abuse treatment programs for Missouri residents 18 and older. The Imani House provides pre-admission assessments for substance abuse, behavioral risks for HIV, TB, mental health issues, and non-emergency medical conditions.

Imani House clients receive services including counseling and case management, medication-assisted treatment, and a wide range of social service programs and referrals to help break the cycle of addiction. These additional programs include continuing recovery support services to assist with child-support payment issues, job placement, transportation, housing, and individual needs.  

For more information about Imani House or the Father Focus program, call (816) 599-5960.

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This truth led Joel Slack, mental health advocate, to found the RESPECT Institute, which trains individuals with mental health illnesses to share their personal stories of recovery with public audiences. The goal is to foster a better public understanding and remove stigma of mental health challenges, including substance use.

The RESPECT Institute started in Kansas City in 2010 with Trena Fowler, Rehabilitation Director at the Center for Behavioral Medicine; Kellie Sullivan, Director of Crossroads Group Home; and Ruthe Workcuff, Case Manager at Swope as the facilitators. Ruthe continues to work as a facilitator training program participants; Trena & Kellie are now advisors.

RESPECT Institute speakers provide inspiration and hope. They knock down the stigma behind mental illness with each group they present to.

“These speakers are willing to share their stories to help others who may encounter similar obstacles,” said Mark Miller, Executive Vice President of Behavioral Health at Swope Health. “Swope Health is proud to support the RESPECT Institute.”

Ruthe has been an associate with Swope Health for more than 30 years. She has been featured in various magazines (including the September issue of Our Health Matters) and been on numerous panels.  What she does the best is make care visible.

RESPECT speakers are available to present to large and small groups — high school classrooms, civic organizations, church groups, hospital groups, auxiliaries, law enforcement and emergency personnel, mental health professionals and advocacy groups. If you would like to become a speaker or have a speaker to come to your organization to share their story, please contact Ruthe Workcuff at RWorkcuff@swopehealth.org or 816-599-5291.

An example of a RESPECT speaker and her story:

Ms. Adrian grew up in poverty in Chicago, Illinois. She had an alcoholic mother and a heroin addict father. It was so bad she ran away from home when she was 13 years old. Being out on the streets led her to trouble with the law and going to prison several times. Adrian didn’t realize that she had a mental health issue. At her last prison stay in Iowa, she got help with anger management and learned tips on re-entering the population. She got tired of going in and out of prison. Adrian learned that she could not mix street drugs with her mental health prescriptions, and that she needs to stay on her mental health meds. She has now been clean and sober for 22 years. She is planning to leave Kansas City to go to Texas where she has a son in prison. Adrian plans to volunteer at the Salvation Army to work with homeless women and share her story to help others.

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The new three-digit code works in the same way that 911 works for an emergency hotline, reaching local resources wherever you are in the country.

“We’ve been working with partners across the state to prepare for this since it was approved in 2020,” said Mark Miller, executive vice president of Behavioral Health at Swope Health. The Missouri Mental Health network of providers, law enforcement and a wide variety of other agencies have been preparing for and have created a strong partnership to implement the new 988 system.

“This program will strengthen and transform crisis care in the United States,” Miller said. “This easy-to-remember number is going to save lives.”

When you dial 988, you will be connected with a crisis counselor trained to provide care and support for anyone experiencing mental-health related distress.  Organized by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the program can assist with thoughts of suicide, substance use crisis, trauma or other emotional distress.

The National Suicide hotline was launched in 2005 and later expanded to include Spanish language support, text messages and a chat function, receives 3.3 million calls. There are around 200 local and independently owned crisis centers that support the network.

You can call, text or chat to the 988 code. The number is available to anyone, including people who may be worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

The 988 lifeline is free and confidential, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The service is available in Spanish and includes translation support for 150 languages.

“We know there’s a tremendous need for crisis support,” Miller said. “In the US, there’s one death by suicide about every 11 minutes. There’s so much pain and trauma, and we know the pandemic has only made it worse.”

According to federal research, suicide is a leading cause of death for those age 10-34. Research shows that suicide hotlines save lives and can contribute to reducing the estimated $34 billion in annual medical and work-loss costs of suicide in the U.S.

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The art program is a way to teach coping skills to individuals overcoming substance use or other behavioral health issues. Most of the other day program participants were chatty and engaged, especially as Carolyn continually challenged her class to try new techniques of artistic expression.

But throughout four-day-a week Zoom classes, this young man stayed silent as he worked, answering with a nod or shrug only. After speaking with the young man’s mother and Community Support Specialist, Carolyn understood that the silence was a behavior of his choosing, not caused by a physical limitation.

When the art program resumed in-person sessions, the young man came to class but remained silent.

Until one day: while Carolyn was intently explaining a technique known as Aboriginal dot painting, he turned to her and said, “I got it.”

Carolyn considered it a breakthrough – and one more example of the healing influence of art.

“Art is a great coping skill,” Carolyn said. “It literally diverts your attention from yourself to focus on something bigger. Art has a fundamental power of expression.”

The art program offers a safe space for participants to learn new skills – whether drawing, creating with papier-mâché, coloring or painting – while sharing time and experiences with others. The class is set up for no more than 16, to allow Carolyn plenty of time with each participant. There are no demands on the participants, other than engaging their own creativity.

Carolyn noted her silent student has begun becoming more expressive, while also taking greater pride in his work. “Best in class,” she says.

His mother is delighted at the progress. She said he has indicated an interest in visiting museums and she is starting to imagine him working, perhaps in a framing studio.

“He has come so far,” she said. “I’m amazed and so grateful for this program.”

If you’d like to support the art therapy program, visit the Swope Health Amazon Smile Wish List page to donate supplies. 

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