💜💙 We wear purple and teal to show solidarity for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 15-24. Suicide Prevention Week is an annual event that takes place during the third week of September. The goal of suicide prevention week is to raise awareness about suicide and to provide resources for people who are struggling with suicidal thoughts.

There are many things that you can do to help prevent suicide. Here are a few tips:

• Talk to someone you trust. If you are thinking about suicide, talk to a friend, family member, therapist, or other trusted adult. Talking about your thoughts and feelings can help you to feel better and can also help to prevent you from acting on those thoughts.
• Call the Suicide Prevention Hotline. If you are in crisis, call a suicide prevention hotline. These hotlines are staffed by trained professionals who can listen to you and help you find the resources you need. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 988.
• Be there for someone who is struggling. If you know someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts, be there for them. Let them know that you care and that you are there for them. You can also encourage them to seek professional help.
• Learn about suicide prevention. The more you know about suicide, the better equipped you will be to help prevent it. There are many resources available to help you learn about suicide prevention. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has a website with information about suicide prevention.
• Promote mental health awareness. Talk to your friends, family, and community about mental health and the importance of seeking help if you are struggling.
• Reduce stigma around suicide. Let people know that it is okay to talk about suicide and that there is help available.
• Support suicide prevention programs. There are many organizations that are working to prevent suicide. You can support their work by donating money, volunteering your time, or spreading the word about their work.
• Seek professional help when needed. It's important to remember that you're not alone. Millions of people around the world struggle with suicidal thoughts and mental health issues. Help is available. Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our mental health experts. We'll work with you to develop a treatment plan that meets your specific needs. Telehealth appointments are available. We also offer a variety of payment options, including the Sliding Fee Scale and payment plans, so you can get the help you need without having to worry about the cost.

Suicide prevention is everyone's responsibility. By talking about suicide, reaching out to those who are struggling, and learning about suicide prevention, we can all help to save lives.

#SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionWeek #mentalhealthmatters #TalkAwayTheDark

September 14, 2023

West Virginia was one of 13 states in the Appalachian region to participate in Safe a Life Day. Community members, friends, family, people who use drugs, and anyone wishing to be prepared to save a life were welcomed to be trained on how to use Naloxone. The medication, the most common being a nasal spray called Narcan, works to reverse opioid overdoses with no adverse side effects. 

The devastation of the opioid overdose epidemic in the Appalachian region is well-known, and according to data from the CDC, five of the ten states that have the worst overdose rates are in the Appalachian region, where the loss of loved ones in 2021 represented 38% of the fatalities in the nation for that year.

Although only 2 counties in the Mountain State first participated in Save a Life Day in 2020, all 55 counties in West Virginia participated in Save A Life Day in 2023. Since Save a Life Day started in West Virginia, the state with the worst overdose rate, West Virginia-based SOAR now works with more than 150 counties spread across 13 states to come together and support one another.

Ritchie Regional was fortunate enough to participate in Safe a Life Day in both Pleasants and Ritchie. It was a pleasure to be a part of the WV-wide event; we’re already thinking about how to make it even better next year!

​We'd like to thank everyone who came out to Save a Life Day 2023! Because of you, the day was a huge success! Breaking through stigma and supporting each other is how we conquer the opioid epidemic. ​

Special thanks to all the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors who made Safe a Life possible ❤️💛🖤

#SaveaLifeAppalachia #savealife

West Virginia continues to lead the nation in chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Through a program called FARMACY WV, we emphasize the concepts: “healthy food is medicine”; and the first line of treatment and prevention is a healthy diet and lifestyle changes.

FARMACY WV is a 10-week program that supports those concepts by providing fresh produce and healthy food along with nutrition and cooking education. During the first week of class, participants received a care kit, an insulated bag, a cookbook, and a workbook. Participants were also weighed, had their blood pressure checked, and had their labs drawn to establish a baseline. Each week, they received a useful kitchen tool and vouchers for fresh produce at Lakeview Market. Every other week, they receive a healthy meal box from Mountaineer Food Bank. At the end of the program, labs, B/P, and weight were once again taken and compared to the baseline.

This was the second year that RRHC has hosted FARMACY classes for Ritchie County and we feel extremely lucky to be a part of the efforts to help improve the health of our community, families, and friends. We sincerely appreciate all those who were involved!

Join RRHC Behavioral Health Case Manager, Jocelyn Blackwell, at Doddridge Co. Public Library every Tuesday for SMART Recovery and Friends and Family. Everyone is welcome!

SMART Recovery is unique in that it encompasses all types of addictive behavior as well as mental health struggles. It is not focused on alcohol or substance addiction and can include shopping addiction, eating addiction, gaming addiction, gambling addiction, or issues with mental health such as self-harm which can lead to addiction. Addiction is something that a person engages in that results in problems in their everyday life activities and relationships that they continue to engage in regardless of the negative impact it has.

In SMART Recovery, we focus on the fact that everyone is individual and their recovery is also individual. We work through stages of change and meet them where they are at without negative feedback. We are supportive of everyone’s choice to handle their recovery the way they see fit. Individuals are not powerless and we take a self-empowerment approach to recovery.
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In the Friends and Family group, we focus on how individuals with loved ones struggling with addictive behaviors can cope and take back some control of how they respond to their loved ones.