Tech savvy initiative targets at-risk teens Now, CSEA members working for the Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene are using today’s technology to reach at-risk teens and young adults for whom suicide is the second leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Reaching teens on their level Thanks to grant funding, the HELPLINE now has texting capabilities and a mobile app. These new resources are literally at the fingertips of the CSEA members who staff the HELPLINE. All of the HELPLINE workers are also licensed mental health professionals. “We’ve had over 4,000 texting conversations,” said CSEA member Marie Dynes, coordinator of prevention services, who oversaw the app’s implementation. “It’s obvious that this is the way teens are reaching out.” Texting capability, known as Dutchess TEXTS, arrived in 2014. The app, introduced this summer and available on Apple and Android smartphone platforms, includes the texting function as well as sections on suicide warning signs and specific resources for teens, adults and veterans. And while texting is popular, the app also includes POUGHKEEPSIE — Dutchess County residents in crisis have been able to call the county’s HELPLINE since 1978 for suicide prevention help and referrals to mental health and other services. But picking up the phone is a foreign concept for many of today’s at-risk teens, who primarily use texting, social media and smartphones to communicate. Photo courtesy of Dollar Photo Club a button that instantly connects users to them via phone. This innovation comes at a good time, as county officials say they’ve seen a recent increase in suicides. The county is also one of many in New York that is facing prescription drug and opiate drug abuse, with overdose hospitalizations and deaths seeing a sharp increase. Overdose deaths in Dutchess County tripled from 24 deaths in 2008 to 63 deaths in 2013. “Teens can be sitting right next to each other and they are texting, so it makes sense that this is the way we are reaching them,” said Dynes. “Sometimes, youths act in impulsive ways, so if we can delay that suicidal thought for five minutes by reaching out via text, that’s going to make a difference. If they feel like they’ve been helped and heard, it’s less likely they will be on that path.” Dynes and her co-workers are working hard to promote the initiatives. Local school districts and colleges are spreading the word, plus CSEA members are plugging the new technology at community events. Kudos for innovation Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, whose administration pushed the innovation, and CSEA Dutchess County Local President Liz Piraino lauded the efforts. “Dutchess County has been a leader in the area of mental health, and our members play a huge role in that,” Piraino said. “At a time when more states and local governments should be “Sometimes, youths act in impulsive ways, so if we can delay that suicidal thought for five minutes by reaching out via text, that’s going to make a difference. If they feel like they’ve been helped and heard, it’s less likely they will be on that path.” adding services instead of cutting in the area of mental health, this program is a great example of public workers at their best.” Several other counties are adopting this practice, including Albany, Broome, Erie, Orange, and Putnam, and the state Office of Mental Health. — Jessica Ladlee 12 The Work Force November 2015
The Work Force - November 2015
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