Mental Health Download: Exploring Mental Illness, Suicide, Homelessness and Incarceration

Lucinda Morte answers the call for help when people contact Mental Health Association Oklahoma's free Mental Health Assistance Center. In this mini-episode, Lucinda answers one question: How to connect with services during a pandemic.

Connect to services today by visiting mhaok.org.

Listen to this discussion between Mary Burchett, of Bank of America, and Mike Brose, CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma. Together they discuss how businesses can prioritize mental health.

Check out this Journal Record piece by Mary Burchett that's available now at: https://journalrecord.com/2020/05/15/qa-how-businesses-can-prioritize-mental-health/

By: Mary Burchett Journal Record Guest Columnist May 15, 2020

As Oklahomans continue to show strength during the coronavirus pandemic, the physical, financial and emotional strains we all are experiencing are converging. Many employers are taking steps to protect the health and safety of employees, including their mental and emotional well-being.

As part of Bank of America’s $100 million global coronavirus community relief effort, the bank provided Mental Health Association Oklahoma with funding to support increased local demand for their services. With May being National Mental Health Awareness Month, I spoke to Mike Brose, CEO of MHAO, to discuss how businesses can keep employees and our broader community healthy – physically and emotionally.

Burchett: How can a business prioritize mental wellness for its employees?

Brose: We encourage employers to offer Employee Assistance Programs as part of their employee benefits. EAPs can provide support through telemedicine. For employers who already offer them, now is the time to communicate with your employees about the benefits and services they receive. If your employer doesn’t offer an EAP, you can call our Mental Health Assistance Center at 918-585-1213 or 405-943-3700.

Burchett: What is your best mental health tip for those who are working from home during this time?

Brose: Be mindful of how you are feeling and take regular breaks. Too much self-isolation is a recipe for the slow deterioration of self. Care for others from your own home – call, text, video chat – it shows you care and follows one of our long-standing tenets: it’s better to give than to receive.

Burchett: What about essential workers who need to work on-site?

Brose: We recommend some practices that are universal to mental health, including getting enough rest, minimizing alcohol use, and engaging in at-home exercise. For front-line workers, quality personal protective equipment also gives peace of mind. The first step to taking care of those around you is to take care of yourself.

Burchett: How is MHAO meeting the increase in demand?

Brose: Social distancing means we are unable to offer in-person support groups, so we took them online. MHAO established groups for different roles, including first responders, essential workers and even groups for the general public. You can find information about these groups at mhaok.org/supportgroups.

To hear more from my conversation with Mike, listen to the Mental Health Download podcast at mhaok.org/podcast or via your favorite podcast app.

Mary Burchett is Tulsa market manager for Bank of America and a Mental Health Association Oklahoma board member.

Oklahoma City Councilmembers James Cooper, JoBeth Hamon and Nikki Nice hosted a Virtual COVID-19 Town Hall on mental health, accessing care and more.

In this episode, JoBeth Hamon and M.J. Clausen, both of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, talk about participating in the town hall. They also offer their highlights of the event.

To watch the full Facebook Live of the town hall, visit: https://www.facebook.com/cityofokc/videos/525844598107909/

Links to Resources in OKC:

https://heartlineoklahoma.org/

Tyler Butler, of Tulsa's Channel 8 - KTUL, hosts our Mental Health Download podcast today. It's the audio from his interviews with Mental Health Association Oklahoma's Jacob Beaumont and Rebecca Leigh Hubbard about mindfulness, meditation and mentalhealth resources available in Oklahoma for people struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Linda Alegria joins Dr. Rebecca Hubbard to talk about Linda's virtual Mental Health Association Oklahoma COVID-related support group, "STRESS AND A HISTORY OF TRAUMA."

Trauma is any experience that triggered heightened anxiety and fear related to your experience. Examples inlcude abuse, neglect, domestic violence and life-threatening accidents.

Learn more at https://mhaok.org/support-groups

Also, get details about Mental Health Association Oklahoma's Be Apart campaign at mhaok.org/beapart

Andy Moore is the executive director of Let's Fix This in Oklahoma City. He's also the co-host of the Let's Pod This Podcast. Additionally, Andy is a licensed professional counselor. Andy joins us to talk about his Nondoc media story, "During the COVID-19 Crisis, Consider Your Mental Health."

Read the story here: https://nondoc.com/2020/03/27/amid-public-health-crisis-dont-forget-mental-health/

Mike Brose, CEO of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, and Kristy Sturgill, director of Marketing for the Association, join us to talk about the new campaign, Be Apart, and what life will be like as society begins to slowly emerge from quarantine. 

Stay informed about the Be Apart campaign at https://mhaok.org/beapart

You’re listening to the Mental Health Download from the nonprofit Mental Health Association Oklahoma. I’m Matt Gleason.

On today’s episode, our guest is Dr. Benjamin F. Miller, who serves as the Chief Strategy Officer for Well Being Trust. The Well Being Trust is a national foundation committed to advancing the mental, social and spiritual health of the nation. He’s also serves as a board member for Mental Health Colorado.

And Dr. Rebecca Hubbard, who serves as Mental Health Association Oklahoma’s Director of Outreach, Prevention and Education, is joining me today to interview Dr. Miller.

We asked Ben to be on the Mental Health Download because the Well Being Trust collaborated with the Kaiser Family Foundation on the fascinating research brief titled, “The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use.”

Key takeaways from the research include:

READ THE RESEARCH BRIEF HERE: https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/

The Defining Moments Podcast based out of Moore, Oklahoma is a podcast that brings life to your moments, your setbacks, your breakthroughs to bring family, friends, neighbors and community together. With that in mind, we asked Margy & Hoang Lam about their defining moments of the COVID-19 crisis and tips for couples to stay happy in quarantine.

Check out the Defining Moments podcast via your favorite podcast listening app or online here: 

https://www.definingmomentspod.com/

Zack Stoycoff, senior director of policy and planning at Healthy Minds Initiative, joins us to talk about the initiative. We also talk about some of the most pressing legislative issues facing our state. This includes HB 4064. It abolishes the Department of Mental Health and puts all responsibilities for the state’s mental health system in the hands of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

Details about Healthy Minds Initiative at: https://www.healthymindspolicy.org/

Sign up for Mental Health Association Oklahoma advocacy alerts at: https://www.mhaok.org/advocate