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 Welcome to the Health Promotion & Prevention Newsletter, released every two months by Marion County's Health Promotion & Prevention Team! In this newsletter, our team shares information, tips, news, and updates on community work being done to promote health and prevent disease in Marion County.
Excessive Heat Warning
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for much of the Willamette Valley for Thursday Sept 5 - Friday Sept 6, 2024.
Please visit Heat.MCHealthy.Net for resources and recommendations to stay safe.
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Help us spread awareness by sharing this newsletter with your friends and colleagues!
September is National Recovery Month
 Recovery Month is held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life. This year, the theme is The Art of Recovery. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will share The Gallery of Hope, a virtual gallery showcasing expressions of recovery. The online gallery will be published on SAMHSA’s website on September 5, 20204. For more information visit https://www.samhsa.gov/.
September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness month
September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness month– a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, acknowledge the millions more who have experienced suicidal thoughts, and the many individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by suicide. It’s also a time to raise awareness about suicide prevention and share messages of hope.
One way to take action this month is to familiarize yourself with 988 that National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The lifeline is there to support us when we might be struggling.
Learn more about 988 with this video from the Mid Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Click here to view the :30sec 988 information video!
We can all make a difference in decreasing deaths from suicide. To learn more visit the Mid-Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition website to find local classes or schedule one for your group. https://mvsuicideprevention.com/training-and-events/
Suicide warning signs for adults and youth:
Events
Saturday, Sept 7, 3-6pm. Hands Across the Bridge at Riverfront Park North Meadow and Pavilion in Salem
Hands Across the Bridge (HATB) is an annual gathering sponsored by the Recovery Outreach Community Center (ROCC). This event is dedicated to celebrating the journey of recovery from addiction and mental health obstacles, and honoring those who have lost their life to addiction. The event will feature a community resource fair, live music, engaging speakers, a variety of vendors, and a dedicated children’s area. Admission is free and all ages are welcome!
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Saturday, Sept 28, 12-6pm. ¡Viva Salem! Hispanic Festival at Riverfront Park in Salem
¡Viva Salem! is a celebration of Salem’s Hispanic culture, with live music, performances, artists and more. Marion County Health will be there! Come see our booth and say "hi!"
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World Mental Health Day is an internationally recognized day of education, awareness, and advocacy for mental health and against stigma. Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages anyone working on mental health issues to discuss and shed light on their work, making mental health a priority worldwide. Visit this link to learn more about World Mental Health Day and find resources to support this cause.
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Out of the Darkness Community Walks are held in hundreds of cities across the country every year. These events give people the courage to open up about their own connections to suicide prevention, and a platform to create a culture that is smarter about mental health. This is the largest annual fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to fund suicide prevention research, training, and outreach. Friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers walk side-by-side, supporting each other and in memory of those who have lost their lives to suicide. You can participate as an individual or a team.
Register or Donate for the Walk here
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Trainings
This school year, vaping and tobacco use remains a serious concern among our youth and young adults, especially given growing mental health challenges. Behind the bright colors and sweet flavors of e-cigarettes are harmful chemicals and nicotine addiction. Join Parents Against Vaping to learn the essentials for helping kids avoid or quit vaping and tobacco use. Our virtual presentation Dangers of Vaping: What Parents Need to Know in 2024 will be held on Tuesday, September 10 at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
This event is FREE and open to all, including parents, people who work with youth, and others.
Register for the training here
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Health promotion trainings and education opportunities can be found below.
Know of another organization that provides great trainings and want to share with our network? Let us know at MCHDPrevention@co.marion.or.us.
This free resource guide is now available for school staff and is easy to download from our website. Click here to view our programs and download the resource guide!
Download the 2024-2025 School Resource Guide from Marion County Health Promotion and Prevention!
By Laura Sprouse, Zero Suicide Program Coordinator
In July, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released the 2023 Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan (YSIPP) annual report. This report contains summaries of suicide prevention activities from 2023 and finalized suicide data from 2022 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report shows the risk of youth suicide continues to be a concern in Oregon, particularly for youth of color.
In 2022, the most recent year of finalized data from the CDC, 109 Oregon youth ages 24 and younger died by suicide, Oregon’s first year-to-year increase since 2018. Despite the 2022 increase, there were 16% fewer youth deaths in 2022 compared with deaths in 2018. Moreover, preliminary data, which will not be finalized until spring 2025, suggest that 2023 will not see a further year-to-year increase in youth suicide rates.
Data highlighted in the report show that stark racial disparities remain, both in Oregon and nationwide. Oregon deaths by suicide for youth identified as white have decreased overall since the overall peak in 2018, but the number of suicides for youth of other races and ethnicities either remained similar to 2018 or have increased.
To learn more about the progress toward OHA’s initiatives to end youth suicide and read the full report, visit this link.
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By Sally Cook, Health Promotion & Prevention Educator
As the season changes and students go back to school, “falling” back into a school routine can be stressful. Take time this month to talk with your kids about how they are feeling, how you can support them, or connect them with others for support. Students will be prepared for the 2024-2025 school year when they’re rested, well nourished, and exercising consistently.
Pick one thing to focus on for yourself or your family this fall. Talk about how it could help make the school year more enjoyable. This could look like:
- Planning to walk, bike, or carpool to school or daycare with others.
- Having simple snacks ready to go before and after school.
- Being prepared for cooler weather.
- Talking about emotions around school, friends, classes, and changes.
- Basic sleep, physical activity, and social needs as school starts.
- After-school activities, clubs, sports, time and transportation.
- Technology screen time at home and school.
As the days are getting shorter, we may feel isolated as the weather changes and need opportunities to engage with others socially. Consider these tips that will help support positive mental health in your social circle:
- Check in and connect with loved ones so they feel supported.
- Remember kids want to socialize and talk before and after school, know who is in your neighborhood.
- Thank teachers and school staff for the support they provide in the community.
- Know about community events in your neighborhood.
- Stay calm with parents, kids, and teachers as they manage this transition.
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By Diana Dickey, Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator
Have you heard about Capital Community Media? For over 35 years, they’ve been an integral part of the greater Salem area, delivering local content, education, and a platform for people to connect with their community. Capital Community Media’s mission is to empower all people to communicate and provide community information through media.
Earlier this year, they partnered with our Problem Gambling Prevention program, providing opportunities for youth to learn video production and be recognized for their work.
We are also very appreciative to Capital Community Media for helping to spread the word about the opioid and fentanyl crisis through a variety of programming.
We asked them a few questions to learn more about the work of Capital Community Media, and why they love what they do.
What is something Capital Community Media offers that the community might not be aware of?
Capital Community Media now has a community news presence. We cover a number of stories that might otherwise go untold through the short-form "Salem Buzz" and long-form, "Community News Special Report" programs. These can be viewed on our cable channels 21, 22/322HD, and 23; Roku; Apple TV; our website; or on our YouTube page. If some of these platforms sound new, they are. Search for the free app, "Capital Community Media" on Roku or Apple TV and get our content that way, too!
What do you most enjoy about being part of Capital Community Media?
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Charles Lewis, Operations Manager: "What I enjoy most about Capital Community Media is making a meaningful impact in our community. After nearly 18 years with the organization, I’ve seen many changes, but our dedication to supporting nonprofits, government agencies, schools, and individuals has remained strong. The sense of fulfillment from contributing to something greater than ourselves makes this work incredibly rewarding."
Clarke Hylton, Media Content Manager: "Having come from the commercial world I appreciate how much more we're able to do at Capital Community Media where time and ratings constraints don't drive the agenda. That allows us to be a voice and provide a voice in a community where commercial media outlets, just to the north and south of us, are largely uninterested unless something unfortunate happens here. Over 35 years we've become a Salem institution, helping tell the everyday stories in the capital city. Few jobs in my career have been as meaningful or as important."
Any future initiatives in the works that people can look forward to?
We're excited to soon unveil our new multimedia studios on the east side of our building. These studios will open up a range of creative possibilities, from audio and video podcasting to unique studio productions, offering a fresh look different from what we've traditionally done in our regular TV studios. This expansion will benefit the community by providing more opportunities for music production, public affairs programming, and collaborations with local governments, schools, nonprofits, and individuals. It's a significant step forward in our mission to empower and amplify the voices of those in our community.
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Congratulations to Capital Community Media for 35 years of service to the community!
To learn more about everything they have to offer visit https://www.capitalcommunitymedia.org/
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Prepared by Laura Sprouse, Zero Suicide Program Coordinator
Dr. Ursula Whiteside is a licensed clinical psychologist, CEO of NowMattersNow.org, and clinical faculty at the University of Washington. As a researcher, she has been awarded grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Clinically, she began her training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) with Dr. Marsha Linehan in 1999 and later served as a DBT-adherent research therapist on a NIMH-funded clinical trial led by Dr. Linehan. Dr. Whiteside is a group and individual certified DBT clinician. Now, she treats high-risk suicidal clients in her small private practice in Seattle using DBT and caring contacts.
As a person with Lived Experience, she strives to decrease the gap between "us and them" and to ensure that the voices of those who have been there are included in all relevant conversations: nothing about us without us.
Marion County Health Promotion and Prevention welcomes Dr. Whiteside to the Ask the Expert section to share her expertise about Dialectical Behavioral Therapy!
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What is dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)?
DBT is a type of treatment that focuses on emotions and stress management. This is different from treatments that focus primarily on thoughts or behaviors. Formal DBT treatment includes weekly psychotherapy and DBT skills class ("group"), along with skill coaching via phone or text, and therapists attending a consultation team.
Who is DBT for?
This treatment was originally developed for people who made multiple suicide attempts or who engaged in extensive self-injury. It was also for those the system had given up on - who were in and out of hospitals but seemed to make little or no progress towards recovery. She developed the treatment, in part, to prove that these people who were considered "untreatable" could be helped and could recover and build meaningful lives. However, anyone can benefit from using basic DBT skills to regulate their emotions, manage their stress, and change habits.
Why is DBT helpful?
DBT has been shown to reduce suicide attempts, self-injury, and psychiatric hospitalizations. It helps people identify and manage overwhelming emotions, understand and change behaviors that are caused by overwhelming emotions, and create a foundation of mindful awareness. Some people who have utilized DBT in their life have said that it helps by:
- "It taught me how to manage my emotions, rather than my emotions managing me."
- "I felt less alone knowing there were others who had similar struggles.”
- "I learned how my emotions made sense given my history, my family’s history, and my emotional wiring."
Where can I learn more about DBT and how to practice skills in everyday life?
- Visit NowMattersNow.org to learn skills from DBT - our new website is launching October 10, 2024!
- Visit Behavioral Tech (behavioraltech.org) – Founded by Marsha Linehan, this organization offers a wide range of training programs, from introductory to advanced levels, including online courses and in-person workshops for professionals.
- Visit DBT Self-Help (dbtselfhelp.com) – A resourceful website offering information, worksheets, and forums for individuals practicing DBT skills.
- Find a community to practice DBT skills with – you can do this with a group of friends or colleagues, or by attending a regular NowMattersNow.org Meet: https://nowmattersnow.org/meets
In honor of pets being health heroes, the Prevention Team at Marion County Health and Human Services is highlighting their amazing pets.
This newsletter we are sharing Michael Keuler's pets River (left) and Finnley (right). Sassy Finnley and Sweet River are sibling Great Dane/Healer Collie rescues who love going on walks, hiking, swimming, and cuddling under blankets. Finnley also loves catching a squeaky ball at the park, while River chases her around. Their claim to fame is that they invented the term "WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!!" which they yell every time someone comes to the door.
Stay tuned for the rest of the team's amazing pets throughout 2024!
By Conor Foley, Tobacco Prevention & Education Program Coordinator
We are happy to announce the three community partners who received contracts for the Targeted Tobacco Prevention Communication Project. Raíces de Bienestar, Micronesian Islander Community of Oregon, and Language Link’s Marion Against Tobacco campaign have all been awarded contracts for their proposed communication projects.
The Targeted Tobacco Prevention Communication Project is focused on developing tobacco prevention materials that are accessible and appropriate for high-risk communities. These projects will help us reach our goal of increasing knowledge of the harms associated with tobacco and nicotine use. Community partners will be working with communities around the County and have until the end of June 2025 to complete their projects. We look forward to reporting back on their successes and sharing the content they create!
By Michael Keuler, Environmental Health Resiliency Coordinator
Is your city, school, or organization interested in improving community forestry and green infrastructure? Two grant opportunities are available to improve tree canopy to help cool communities and improve health!
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Urban and Community Forestry Grant: Currently open! Closes October 15, 2024. $10,000-$750,000 to advance equity, well-being, and resilience for all communities in Oregon by promoting investments in trees and green infrastructure. Eligible entities include Oregon local governments, schools, universities, non-profits, community-based organizations, and tribal organizations.
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Community Green Infrastructure Grant: Opens soon. Funding for community green infrastructure projects, community green infrastructure economic development projects, native seed banks or nurseries, and green infrastructure master plans. Eligible organizations include public schools and colleges, non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, non-profit manufactured home parks, federally recognized tribes, and watershed councils.
By Michael Keuler, Environmental Health Resiliency Coordinator
Summer in Oregon is a great time to soak up the sun and enjoy warm, dry weather. However, summer hazards such as poor air quality from wildfire smoke may occur and are now common in the summer and into September. Be prepared to stay safe and healthy.
First, be sure to monitor air quality through your smartphone weather app, or by downloading:
When air quality is 151 or greater, OSHA recommends everyone stay indoors with proper air filtration and doors and windows shut when possible. To prepare for poor air quality days, be sure to regularly replace HEPA or MERV-13 filters in your home and/or purchase portable air filters. If you are on a budget and need to improve your indoor air quality, consider creating a box fan and furnace filter for your home: click here for tips on creating one safely. Indoor air centers, such as a public library, shopping mall, or other designated clean air location may also be an option.
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Take extra precautions inside on poor air quality days:
- Do no smoke cigarettes indoors.
- Do not use wood-burning stoves.
- Do not vacuum.
- If you have air conditioning, set it to recirculate.
If you do spend time outside, limit outdoor activity until air quality improves. Remember that cloth masks and face coverings do not protect you from fine wildfire smoke particles (PM 2.5). N95 respirators may offer some protection if properly fit tested and worn. Otherwise, they may create a false sense of security. N95 masks are not available in children’s sizes.
High risk populations (those most affected by poor air quality) should take extra precautions to stay safe. This includes older adults, young children, pregnant people, and people with asthma, heart, or lung conditions. If you have a loved one in who is vulnerable, be sure to check-in with them regularly until air quality improves.
Stay safe and healthy this fall!
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Marion County Health Promotion & Prevention will highlight various programs and health topics in our upcoming newsletter to keep you informed about important health promotion issues. The newsletter will be released in the first week of November 2024. If there is a subject you would like us to cover, please let us know by emailed us at the address below.
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