ECCC: When there is help, there is hope

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Eddy County Community Cares (ECCC) is hard at work in their community to raise awareness and prevent suicide.

First founded in 2015, their mission is to foster mental health, suicide prevention and awareness, and provide support for those who’ve been impacted by suicide

Every year they host a memory walk called Lights of Hope, where people have been able to release lanterns, or more recently butterflies, to help remember loved ones they’ve lost to suicide.

They regularly facilitate training events about mental health for bartenders, local law enforcement and first responders, and some may remember when the ECCC got Kevin Hines, a survivor of suicide, to visit New Rockford to talk about his experience.

ECCC is also responsible for Sources of Strength being at New Rockford-Sheyenne, which has made important strides for high school students in Eddy County.

Over the years they’ve done much to improve the mental health of their community, and they’re now focusing on young adults – those who are likely just leaving home and about to live on their own for the first time.

With approximately 1,100 deaths each year, suicide is the No. 2 cause of death among college students in the United States, according to the University of Michigan. Statistics show that young men in particular are the most susceptible.

On Wednesday, April 17, Eddy County Community Cares held an event at the school aimed toward young adults, focusing on how they can prevent mental health problems as they go out on their own.

ECCC members Mindy Meier, Calvin Packard and Jennifer Ruppell were there to speak to the students, and each shared a number of tips and tools they can use.

Meier, a local pastor who helped get ECCC started almost a decade ago, also wanted to share these tips and tools to anyone who might find them useful, especially parents who may be preparing to send their kids off to college this summer.

Sometimes, she said, it’s as simple as reminding yourself of what you’re grateful for.

“You can’t hold anxiety and gratitude in your head at the same time, because it’s in the same place in your brain,” she said.

As an advisor of Sources of Strength along with Ruppell, Meier said she often has students write down something that helps them feel better when they’re feeling down, and she suggested a way families can do a similar exercise together.

“Have an open relationship with your kid,” said Meier. “Letting your children talk to you about all the important stuff in their lives is one of the most important things a parent can do.

“… Get together as a family and talk about what you're thankful for, just one thing every night,” she added. “It can be an easy habit to get into, because then your kids get used to having a conversation with you about things that matter in their lives.”

Another unique tip Meier shared was creating a family code word – a word that, when spoken by a family member, lets the rest of the family know they’re in trouble, need to be picked up, or whatever the case may be.

Meier also suggested physically writing things down, such as in a journal, as opposed to typing on a computer or phone.

Some of these tips may be cliché, but Meier knows they can help families and young adults through mental health struggles.

But of course, that’s only a fraction of the advice out there for parents and families, and there’s plenty more out there that may suit some families more than others.

Any parents looking to find out more or who’d like to get involved with Eddy County Community Cares can do so by contacting Meier at (701) 625-1544.

All funding the ECCC receives comes from generous donations. To contribute, contact Meier or simply donate to Eddy County Community Care’s account at Bank Forward.

Anyone struggling with a mental health emergency is encouraged to contact North Dakota’s suicide hotline, which is simply 988.