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Interview with Bill Heaston: Program Director at Rise Against Suicide


1.Can you share your experience in working with teenagers and addressing their mental health needs within BVSD? How do you stay updated on current trends and challenges in teen mental health?

My experience in working with teens who attend BVSD is from my role at Rise Against Suicide, which is an organization that connects therapists with youth who are at-risk for suicide and pays for the services. As the Program Director, it is my job to ensure that our programming meets the evolving needs of the youth we serve. This includes recruiting and retaining the top therapists in Boulder County as well as ensuring we employ the best interventions and modalities of care to each referral. I am able to stay in tune with current trends and challenges through my association with the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention, American Suicide Association, and the National Association of Social Workers to name a few.

2. Can you explain the process of getting help for mental health concerns? What steps should we take, and what can we expect?

First, mental health is just as important as the food we eat and the amount of sleep we get. If you or a loved one is experiencing feelings of depression or suicide, it is best to talk to a trusted adult. Mental health resources can be accessed at your school or through free programs like Rise Against Suicide or I Matter. Additionally, the Colorado Crisis Hotline (1-844-493-TALK or Text "TALK" to 38255. In an emergency, dial 9-1-1). It takes a lot of courage to ask for help, but you can expect to receive the help you need. Unfortunately, there can be long wait times with some mental health providers, but places like Rise Against Suicide exist to diminish those longer than usual wait times.

3. What strategies would you implement to create a safe and supportive environment for teens seeking mental health services?

In order to ensure a safe and supportive environment, we must first model a healthy approach to mental health by talking about our feelings, what is troubling us and what helps to encourage our own well-being and self-care. We must be open about the importance of our own mental health in order to encourage others to share.

4. Can you describe a situation where you successfully implemented a program or intervention that positively impacted the mental health of teenagers within BVSD?

Last year alone, we served 175 BVSD students with free therapeutic interventions. These youth had access to unlimited therapy sessions in order to improve their own mental health.

5. How do you ensure cultural competence and inclusivity in mental health services for a diverse group of teenagers?

Rise Against Suicide ensures cultural competency and inclusion by ensuring that we have a diverse network of therapists that align with the different representative identities of the kids we serve. For example, we have recruited more bicultural and bi-lingual (Spanish-speakers) therapists because we have seen more Latinx referrals.

6. What collaboration strategies do you employ to work effectively with other professionals, such as counselors, therapists, and educators, in addressing teen mental health issues?

At Rise Against Suicide, we work with many different community organizations to ensure that we are supporting our therapists. This includes Boulder County Public Health, Mental Health Partners and school district partner meetings. Additionally, we support the efforts of the Office of Suicide Prevention, which is a Colorado statewide effort to employ suicide prevention measures for youth.

7. In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges facing teen mental health today, and how would you address them in your role?

The most significant challenge today is social media. Youth today have no opportunity to not be scrutinized, compared, and criticized by their peers and others. This has become a daunting issue in which youth forget to live in the present, but rather rely on social media to be their "present."

8. How do you assess the effectiveness of mental health programs for teens, and what metrics would you use to measure success?

Rise Against Suicide used The Columbia Protocol, which is a suicide risk assessment and screener in order to determine the effectiveness of mental health treatment. The evaluation is administered three times throughout the length of care to determine suicide risk and improvement and/or decline.

9. What resources are available for coping with stress, anxiety, or mental health issues outside of scheduled appointments?

There are plenty of apps, board games, musical, and nature-based interventions that can support the mental health of others.

10. Are there resources or programs available for teens who are not comfortable with traditional forms of therapy, such as talking or counseling?

Yes, we partner with Medicine Horse (equine therapy), the Kiva Center (somatic therapy), Square Skate State (skateboarding) and more eco-therapy practices such as nature-based interventions with our youth.

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