By NATE KING
Salina Post
Almost every person knows someone who has faced struggles related to mental health. Yet there is still stigma when it comes time to reach out for help.
During a recent interview with Salina Post, Jessica Kootz, K-State Extension's Midway District director, explained how K-State Extension's mental health education programs contributes to a better mental health system and expands access to mental health services.
"We want to let Kansans know, it is okay to reach out for help," Kootz said. "K-State Extension is on the ground in all 105 counties in Kansas."
Kootz leads the K-State Extension district that covers both Russell and Ellsworth counties. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kootz and others in the Ellsworth community formed a group called "Because We Care." The group discussed communication roadblocks, how the community would respond to COVID-19 and grant opportunities. In order to meet the immediate needs of the community, Kootz said the group's mission had to change as COVID-19 became less of a daily concern.
"Now the group has evolved into more of a resources group," Kootz said. "When we started talking about mental health, Ellsworth Medical Center took charge because of the mental health services they provide."
In the later part of last year, the small tight-knit rural community of Ellsworth experienced tragedies related to suicide.
"It is a hard conversation to have with the community," Kootz said. "But talking about our mental health struggles is important, because it just takes one kind word or one kind of probing question to get people to open up and be comfortable with talking about something as big and as important as mental health."
Kootz said providing effective mental health services can be difficult in Kansas because of its rural setting and stigma associated with seeking help for mental health issues.
"Let me put it this way," Kootz said. "If you're a famer or rancher you're going to take a cow to the vet if they're unhealthy. So why wouldn't you take yourself to a doctor or a mental health professional, when you're not feeling quite right."
Kootz said that since its creation, the Because We Care group has worked with Central Kansas Mental Health Center to administer Mental Health First Aid classes.
Mental Health First Aid
The majority of people would call 9-1-1 and administer CPR if they witnessed someone having a heart attack. How about if the person was having a panic attack or showing signs of alcoholism? How would you respond then? That is where Mental Health First Aid steps in. Just like CPR, Mental Health First Aid is a tool used to assist someone who is experiencing a mental health or substance abuse challenge or crisis.
"What it [Mental Health First Aid] training does is it removes fear and stigma that surrounds those conversations about mental health," Kootz said. "The goal of the class is to improve a person's overall understanding of mental health and substance abuse, while also giving an action plan to teach them how to safely and responsibly identify and address issues."
Kootz said the program, which lasts all day, is not designed to teach people how to be therapists or counselors, but equipping community members with tools and knowledge of how to intervene and handle crisis situations relating to mental health and substance abuse.
"Mental Health First Aid is led by trained facilitators and it's an incredible training where you learn a lot about yourself and what you're capable of handling," Kootz said.
Kootz said facilitators also provide helpful tips and tricks for how to preserve yourself while helping out a friend or family member with their mental health.
"During the training they work with you on a self care plan, because helping someone with their mental health journey is taxing on the person helping as well," Kootz said. "So just knowing that it's okay to take a step back and say 'I can't handle that.'"
For a list of dates when and where the next mental health first aid class will be, click here.
K-State president visit
In December of last year, K-State President Richard Linton visited central Kansas as part of his statewide listening tour. On his tour, Linton stopped in Ellsworth to attend a rural mental health summit hosted by K-State Extension and the Because We Care Group.
"The conversation was really engaging, we had so many good questions from the stakeholders and community partners that were in the audience," Kootz said. " It was great to show the community to the university how important, this is to us, no matter what level from a university academic level, to a community, to professional kind of level."
Read: K-State president visits central Kansas as part of community tour
The summit featured a panel of experts including Rachel Clews, family and consumer science extension specialist in the Southwest Research Extension Center; Jennifer Kaufman, director of community support services for Central Kansas Mental Health; Derek Knopp, school-based clinical coordinator for Central Kansas Mental Health; Kerianne Ehrlich, Ellsworth County Health Department; and Jim Kirkbride, CEO at Ellsworth County Medical Center.
Key takeaways from the summit included an increased need for social work and mental health professionals and consolidating resources to achieve maximum impact.
About K-State Extension
Whether you are a K-State fan or a KU fan, K-State Research and Extension is here to serve all Kansans. Their goal is to improve the lives, livelihoods and Kansas communities through education, research, engagement and leadership.
K-State Research and Extension is a statewide network of educators sharing unbiased, research-based information and expertise on issues important to Kansas. It has established local, state, regional, national, and international partnerships.
With 131 years of research and 104 years of extension, K-State Research and Extension has been improving the quality of life and standard of living for Kansans for more than a century. K-State Research and Extension is a partnership between Kansas State University and the federal, state, and county governments. Research completed is used by extension agents and others to help solve community issues.
Extension is working to address grand challenges facing the state:
●Global Food Systems
●Water and Natural Resources
●Health
●Developing Tomorrow's Leaders
●Community Vitality
As a service-focused and community-based organization, K-State Research and Extension provides information and services for Kansans related to:
●Adult Development and Aging
●Community Development
●Crop Production
●Family and Child Development
●Family Resource Management
●Farm Management
●Horticulture
●Livestock Production
●Natural Resources
●Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health
●Youth Development