Resources and Businesses Join Local Efforts Focused on Mental Health
September is Suicide Prevention Month and Solvista Health has announced local business partnerships and a major grant just awarded to the organization to support suicide prevention efforts.
The $700,000 grant, awarded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration after a national competitive bid process, is focused on decreasing suicide risk, enhancing social connectedness, and providing care to those who need it most. One aspect of the grant specifically focuses on helping victims of domestic violence. The grant is in response to the emergent impact of the pandemic on mental health.
“Unfortunately, our communities have seen a spike in domestic violence, substance abuse, drug overdose death, psychiatric emergencies, and suicide,” explained Solvista Health CEO Brian Turner. “The pandemic has wreaked havoc on many people’s lives and continues to drive stress, isolation and uncertainty. We know there are strategies that work to support people in need and are extremely grateful to have new resources in this fight.”
In addition to this major grant, local businesses across the region have also joined Solvista this month to raise awareness and dollars for local prevention efforts.
Four Mile Cinemas in Cañon City is hosting a special showing of “Back to the Future” at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 18, for just four dollars a ticket. All ticket sales will be donated to Solvista.
Restaurant owners are also partnering with Solvista to raise funds in September including Pizza Madness and the Bean Pedaler in Cañon City, Stage Stop and Peregrine Roasters in Westcliffe, and High Side Bar and Grill in Salida.
“It is incredibly heartening to see local businesses and individuals show their support. At the same time, we are receiving critical grant dollars focused on improving mental health in rural Colorado,” said Turner.
“Support like this means the world to our organization as we try to help family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and ourselves.”
Businesses interested in joining Solvista in the fight against suicide in our local communities should contact Jill Anderson at jilla@solvistahealth.org.
Donations to support local suicide prevention, mental health, and addiction recovery can be made online. Donations may be eligible for a 25 percent tax credit.
(Edited version) My background is in human factors, I am a registered acoustic expert in the UK and I serve on a panel developing new, science-based standards for measuring and assessing low frequency noise in residential areas in EUC. The auditory effects typically seen in the population around anthropogenic sources of LFN (low-frequency noise) such as HVAC systems cannot be explained with the known types of tinnitus. The effects are rather those of an increased auditory sensibility (distorted and amplified perception of low frequencies) due to impaired OHC-function (outer hair cells of the cochlea) as a result of frequent low-level and frequently even sub-threshold LFN exposure. Constant, low-level noise exposure is the predominant cause for atypical OHC damage in areas with technical equipment that operating 24/7. Exposure to ototoxic substances is another main cause but much rarer in the general population. Secondary effects of OHC damage are those of endolymphatic hydrops and, as a result, interference with vestibular function (sopite syndrome). Sub-threshold LFN is a well-known cause for impaired sleep (increased morning cortisol) and atypical cardiovascular disease. The above mentioned typical changes in auditory perceptions are a solid biomarker of a constant exposure with LFN from a technical source and should not be taken lightly – especially as we have seen that hospital personal from problematic HVAC installations is sometimes also developing those symptoms while also being exposed to substances like disinfectants, known to aggravate those effects. BTW: tinnitus is one of the early symptoms of OHC damage. … While I am obviously not a resident of your area, I can state that LFN-induced severe sleep/mental health problems (thoughts of suicide ARE a key point in our questionnaires and have been a focus area for the pioneers of LFN-research already in the 1980s) are indeed a worldwide problem and hospitals are – ironically – a frequent source of those LFN-emissions due to their high need for filtered, cooled air. Looking at the siting of the Medical Center and the chillers on the roof that apparently have no adequate (LFN) noise reduction installed, problems like Beth’s shouldn’t really surprise anyone.
You have to be kidding me. They move into a facility that is responsible for all nite noise and harm of neighbors and who has for four years tossed our many complaints in the trash. If they want to make any such claims they should check the suicide rate surrounding their facility and the noise level in that facility and the surrounding area which produces a low frequency noise 24/7 365 causing distress to locals here before them. Instead of dealing with the harm from noise in this community they have chosen a facility which actively denies and squashes complaints and causes the loss of quality of life with no care at all. If they want any grant they should use it to shut the hospital up and prevent the reality of residents here that death is better than living with that noise which is known to cause mental and physical distress and is an assault on the entire community.
Beth, The plans for the medical campus have been around for quite some time. This is not new news. We are not doctors. But from the problems that you have described, more than once, you might want to get yourself checked for tinnitus.
I am Beths domestic partner. Why do you post comments on Beth’s letter but not Beths reply? You are making accusations without data. Beth does not have tinnitus. we have been in the same location for over 25 years. there IS a noise problem. these new facilities are a noise nuisance. Denial of a problem does not make it disappear. How about a little compassion and more honesty. this is exactly the type of behavior that is destroying this area. Denial of any problems and blaming the complainer. this letter is appalling because you say “we are not doctors but you should have yourself checked for tinnitus” you should stop blaming the complainer for bring problems to your attention.
The comment was made out of genuine concern for the writer, since she has repeatedly posted about this on articles about every conceivable topic. It was not made to accuse anyone of anything and no blame was assigned. Clearly you have a sensitivity about this issue. This time, this article is not about noise– it is about mental health.
It would certainly appear that the proper place to lodge noise complaints would be to Chaffee County, the City of Salida, and to the Planning Commissioners of both entities.
Even news editors take a day or two to visit their distant toddler grandchildren, so my apologies for not responding to this comment sooner.