This page has resources that can be useful in your local ministry context. Contact: Kathy Mank, Southern Ohio
Find all of the resources from this event at this website: https://vts.guru/
Province V is grateful to Dr. Stephen Cook and The Rev. Bob Flanagan for their hard work on this event!
Resource Numbers to publish
CALL 988 - new number for the suicide prevention hotline! - 988lifeline.org If you or someone you know is struggling, get help from the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at: 988 (this number also still works: 1-800-273-8255)
If you are experiencing emotional stress and anxiety but are more comfortable texting than talking, get help from the Crisis Text Line by texting the keyword RESTORE to 741741.
The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 to help any veteran. To reach them, call: 1-800-273-8255 and press 1, or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. The VA also has mental health resources for veterans and many Vet Centers offer community based counseling, click here to learn more.
There is Hope. There is Help. Suicide is Preventable. Printable flyer An article from Missouri - 1/3/23
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
AFSP is an excellent resource for all things in suicide prevention. Visit their website to get resources for your community, training for suicide prevention, training for mental health first aid, information about the fundraising and awareness walks, and find your local chapter.
Mental Health Resources
Mental Health First Aid Kathy Mank, convener of the Suicide Prevention Network, highly recommends this training from SAMHSA for Mental Health First Aid.
Books Courage to Thrive: Finding Joy and Hope in the Midst of Mental Health Strugglesby The Rev. Dr. Robert D. Flanagan Redemption Press and Amazon
Episcopalians will find its words healing and inspiring. They will also discover themselves anew, comforted by the Holy Trinity and filled with God's presence.
Here's a portion of a review by an Episcopal clergy published in the Academy of Parish Clergy. Reading this book is itself a healing experience. With great personal vulnerability, Bob Flanagan invites us onto a journey into spiritually illuminated psychological health. With lucidity, warmth, and gentleness, we are shown that God loves us in our struggles and can transform them into the fullness of life. —Charles Mayer, Priest and Psychotherapist
When wrestling with depression and anxiety, getting out of bed is a courageous move. When panic attacks and suicidal thoughts strike, finding victories in the small things of life and reframing feelings can help a person flourish even in the midst of mental health struggles. Rev. Dr. Bob Flanagan knows all about that--he's spent two decades combatting mental illness head on. In his first-person spiritual journal Courage to Thrive, Flanagan takes the reader with him as he traverses the dark and scary landscape of his mind and then the paths of faith that lead him to the Source of light and hope. Through a vulnerable look at the realities of a priest battling mental illness and still thriving, readers--whether dealing with similar mental health challenges or the stressors of everyday life--are left with a quiet confidence that assures them they too can thrive and enjoy the gifts God has given them. Each of the forty reflections concludes with a heartfelt prayer that revels in God's healing mercies. Join Flanagan on a journey to joy, peace, and hope.
June 2021 Moving from Statistics toward Solutions from the Suicide Prevention Network 1,400,000 Americans attempted suicide in 2020. 132 Americans die each day from suicide. 54% of all Americans have been affected by suicide.
These are stunning numbers that stop us in our tracks. However, we can help. Preventing suicide and supporting those affected by suicide are not insurmountable tasks. With community involvement, culture change, and education, these numbers can be reduced over time. Our faith communities can be pivotal in this effort of supporting and saving lives if we choose to prepare ourselves. Look to the Province V Suicide Prevention Network articles in this newsletter in the months to come to guide us in this preparation.
Today we offer an essential number. Let’s start our efforts by making it available everywhere.
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741
Visit with the Suicide Prevention Network on June 8 at their next meeting. Find out how to join in at this page.