Intervening in suicide: Non-profit hopes to support mental health across the nation

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Suicide Watch and Wellness Foundation is on a mission to help with mental health. This Mississippi-based non-profit hopes to eventually expand physical locations across the country, but for now, they're offering support however they can -- by phone.

The group operates through donations, trying to provide therapists to help serve people with limited insurance options or other obstacles to getting care. Their physical location in Canton provides art, animal and other therapy classes.

The organization was co-founded by Misha Mck, an actress and performer, who tells ABC-7 she hopes Texas and other states will see physical locations in the coming years.

She and her husband founded the organization after a New York bus driver casually mentioned how many people committed suicide off a bridge as they drove across. They tried to identify ways of being able to provide support directly to those in need.

As a result, Misha says the Foundation hopes to get conversations started about mental health through TV programs, providing physical support and hearing out people with concerns. Specifically they hope to teach and educate about watching for signs of mental struggles in all groups -- and how to speak and interact with someone facing these challenges.

"We believe that you can not prevent suicide without watching for the signs that push people over the edge, resulting in Suicide and Mental Illness," their website states. A main concern of the group is to lower stigma surrounding these topics.

Misha says people can reach out to the Suicide Watch and Wellness Foundation no matter where they are. They can be contacted online, or by phone at (601)882-3441.

If you need immediate mental health, reach out to 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline -- which is staffed 24/7 to offer support any time.

In the El Paso area, there are a number of organizations for someone to contact, including:

• The 988 line has a dedicated Veterans Crisis Line
• EHN Crisis Hotline: (915-779-1800) - Staffed by locals, and a long-term resource in El Paso, Emergence Health Network's hotline has specialists ready to hear you out.
• Emergence Health Network - EHN is able to offer many different forms of support for mental health and wellness. From pet therapy to addiction treatment.
• NAMI El Paso - As part of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, there are some options listed on their website for support and connection. NAMI is focused on providing support to anyone with any sort of mental illness.
• In NEW MEXICO, you can reach out to the CRISIS AND ACCESS LINE AT 855-662-7474.

It's important to note that these are just tools, and suicide support includes multiple forms of support. Psychological support can be a very important factor in preventing future attempts, according to the American Psychological Association.

Avery Martinez covers mental health in the Borderland as part of ABC-7’s Be Mindful initiative. He is also a Report for America corps member. RFA places talented, emerging journalists in newsrooms like ABC-7’s to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.