Content Update Staging Area

For agency contact form, please connect the following subject line selections with the corresponding email addresses.

Selected Subject Line --> Distribution Group Email

Volunteering   -->   volunteer@mhagc.org

I am a teen in crisis   -->   teenline@mhagc.org

I am an adult in crisis   -->   crisisline@mhagc.org

I lost a loved one to suicide   -->   sosloss@mhagc.org

I need a speaker for my event   -->   speakersbureau@mhagc.org

I am a teen ready to fight mental health stigma   -->   teens4hope@mhagc.org

I need cards/posters for outreach   -->   outreach@mhagc.org

I am a member of the press  -->  media@mhagc.org

Other   -->   contactMHAGC@mhagc.org

Training in QPR: Question, Persuade, and Refer

Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) consists of three simple steps that anyone can learn in order to help save the life of a suicidal person. According to the CDC, suicide is consistently among the leading causes of death in the United States. It is also one of the most preventable. While a common myth about suicide is that talking about suicide with someone may give them the idea, but in truth, the simple act of asking the question, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" can lead to saving a life. Open, frank, and calm discussion with a person who is having suicidal thoughts can open the door to hope. 

The QPR Institute has developed multiple levels of training and certification for QPR gatekeepers - a term they use for "someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide." Gatekeepers can be anyone - parents, friends, family members, neighbors, and members of the community, especially those in helping roles. In QPR's one-hour training, gatekeepers learn the signs of suicidal thought, and ways to Question, Persuade and Refer the suicidal person with the goal of accessing help. 

The QPR Institute website has information about online and in-person training, including a search feature to find a trainer near you. For those in Upstate South Carolina, Mental Health America of Greenville County has QPR certified trainers who can offer in-person training to local groups interested in QPR. To find out more, email us at outreach@mhagc.org! 

I. C. Hope® - Don't Duck Mental Health Program

The I.C. Hope® program is a free public awareness and education program geared to elementary age children that teaches basic mental health coping skills and aims to eliminate mental health stigma. The program features I.C. Hope®, a friendly duck who wears a bandage on his head, symbolizing that mental health issues are real and treatable, and a life preserver around his neck, symbolizing that every life is worth saving. 

The program features story time, discussion, crafts and the "Down with the Duck" song and dance. By the end of the program, students should be able to identify new coping skills for bullying, grief, anger, and other mental health stressors. Contact at outreach@mhagc.org to become an I.C. Hope presenter and get free supplies, learn more or schedule I. C. Hope for your classroom.

Resources for Learning More about Suicide

The links below offer articles and resources for learning more about suicide, from the risk factors and signs that a loved one may be considering suicide to protective factors and suicide prevention information. You can also visit our Mental Health Resources page for more helpful links.

American Association of Suicidology 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institute of Mental Health

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Preventing Suicide

Reassurance Line

Reassurance Line is a dedicated, 24-hour, peer-to-peer telephone service that promotes confidence, safety, and connectedness for people living with chronic mental illness. Eligible participants are referred by Greater Greenville Mental Health Center. The program has helped to bridge the gap between consumers and their mental health professionals and empower participants to maintain their independent living status in the community.

While Reassurance Line users may call in for support, the majority of calls are outbound. These outbound calls support follow through on mental health treatment plans by providing appointment and medication reminders, encourage positive interactions with others, and help consumers stay connected to activities and support systems. Reassurance Line users report that calls reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation and support consistency in taking medications.

Reassurance Line's peer-to-peer model also promotes confidence and nurture's growth for employees, who all have lived experience with chronic mental illness. Working for Reassurance Line affords employees a chance to learn the skills needed to thrive in the workforce while supporting the importance of their own treatment plans. Reassurance Line employees have commented that their work promotes their confidence and self worth, builds their listening skills, makes them more attuned to scheduling and time management, and supports relationships that contribute to their own healing. 

If you or someone you know may be interested in the program, please talk with your mental health provider or contact the program coordinator at reassurance@mhagc.org or at 864-467-3350.

Resource Library 

MHAGC also maintains a resource library with print media on a variety of mental health issues. Please email us at NEED EMAIL ADDRESS if you would like information on a particular topic. 

Survivors of Suicide Loss (SOS Loss)

Mental Health America of Greenville County (MHAGC) is a resource center for suicide prevention, intervention, and aftercare. The SOS Loss program, part of MHAGC’s aftercare services, includes twice monthly support groups lead by trained peer facilitators for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide. Survivors of suicide loss may include family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and others impacted by the suicide of someone in their lives. 

SOS Loss facilitators are peers and volunteers who strive to create a comfortable space where participants may share questions, doubts, and experiences. Group members may share their own stories and listen to how others are coping with the same sorrows. While each person's circumstances are unique, hearing others’ stories often helps survivors to realize that they share many of the same feelings and questions in the aftermath of a loss by suicide. 

MHAGC and SOS Loss facilitators want to help survivors make sense of their loss, honor their loved one, and celebrate their own resilience. Survivors may come to the group early on in their journey through grief, while others come to the group later. Some group members will stay long term, while others may attend only briefly. The group is there for survivors at any stage for however long support is needed. 

Anyone interested in joining should first complete the brief registration form linked below. The form need be completed only once before joining for the first time. SOS Loss support groups meet from 7-8:30 pm at MHAGC's offices located at 130 Industrial Drive in Greenville, Suite B, every first and third Tuesday evening of the month. A Zoom link may be available for those unable to join in person. 

SOS Loss First-Time Registration Link

Resources

If you or someone you know has experienced a loss through suicide, there are many ways beyond a support group to connect with or learn from others who have sustained a similar loss. While this is not a complete list of all the resources survivors may find helpful, these may be good starting points.

Coping after Suicide Loss, from the American Psychological Association, offers tips for grieving adults, children, and schools dealing with a death by suicide.

Living with Grief for Suicide Loss Survivors, from the American Association of Suicidology, offers information on the unique nature of suicide bereavement and lays out strategies for dealing with grief and finding support.

Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors is an online forum that operates like a 24/7 support group. The website contains support resources and information on the survivor experience.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers multiple resources for survivors.

Healing Conversations is a one-time visit (phone, virtual, in-person) that connects those who have lost a loved one to suicide with trained volunteers who are also survivors of suicide loss and can share support, connection, and resources.

Living with Suicide Loss is a video series that allows survivors to hear how others have navigated the pain of suicide loss and serves as a resource for those who want to learn how best to support loss survivors as they process their grief.

Books for Loss Survivors offers a collection of practical guides for coping with a suicide loss.

Membership in Mental Health America of Greenville County

Membership is a great way to both support MHAGC's mission of positively improving mental health through advocacy, awareness and service and to engage with the agency in its important work. Membership contributions at all levels are tax deductible, and membership is active for one year from the date your membership contribution is processed. Take a look at the membership levels on this page to find the one that's right for you or your group or business! If you're a high school or college student and have time to give, inquire about a student membership at outreach@mhagc.org. 

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[Current membership information form linked here.]

[Membership table information contained in Excel link here and current newsletter site here.]

AmeriCorps

Please place the new AmeriCorps page under Get Involved in the main menu. For this page: 

1. All content for the new AmeriCorps page can be drawn directly from the current website's linked AmeriCorps page. This external web page was created and linked to the old website because the AmeriCorps Program Director needed a way to keep program info up to date during recruitment and make edits required for AmeriCorps grant compliance. For these same purposes, the AmeriCorps program director must have access to this page and be able to make minor changes (like updating wording or adding pictures or new AmeriCorps branding elements, as needed). Please let us know if there is any barrier to this condition.

2. Once the new AmeriCorps page is created on the new website, could that page be linked on the Join Our Team page (under About in the main menu... content coming soon!)? We'd like the AmeriCorps page link to appear below the regular job listing information along with the following content:
   MHAGC's AmeriCorps State service program recruits members for a variety of roles supporting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Go to our AmeriCorps page for more information or to apply!

Please use the AmeriCorps Communication Resources page for branding, logos, and other guidelines, if/as needed. The colors are different than MHA colors, but some work well with the websites overall palette.

Join Our Team

Mental Health America of Greenville County envisions a just, humane, and healthy society in which all people are accorded respect, dignity, and the opportunity to achieve their full potential free from stigma and prejudice. MHAGC strives to raise awareness of mental health issues and to make mental wellness more visible as a health priority. 

When you work for MHAGC, you are part of a committed team dedicated to supporting, strengthening, and saving lives through services that positively impact mental health 24/7/365. We look forward to welcoming individuals who share our passion for making a positive difference in the world of mental health.

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If you're interested in gaining experience through a short-term role, conside MHAGC's AmeriCorps State service program, which recruits members for a variety of roles supporting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Go to our AmeriCorps page for more information or to apply.

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MHAGC offers other ways to give of your time and talent to support MHAGC's mission. Consider one of our many volunteer roles, which include in-person and remote roles. Volunteers can use their commitment to fulfill school or service requirements or for internships and field practicums.

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Story Series

Coping with a mental health issue can feel isolating. Some moments may make us feel like we are alone and perhaps the only one experiencing a difficult time. MHAGC's Story Series is a way to show that no one is ever truly alone. Stories are the threads with which hope is woven. These stories offer a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives that we hope strengthen your sense of community, support, and belief in a brighter future.

Donate Directly

Through the support of organizations and individuals like you, Mental Health America of Greenville County is able to maintain and grow its vital programming both here in the Upstate area and statewide. Your one-time or recurring direct donation helps fund our mission of positively impacting mental health through advocacy, awareness, and service. We thank you for your support! 

[Button labeled "Give Now" and linked to our PayPal page]