The Power of Connection: Fostering Hope and Preventing Suicide
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness, encourage honest conversations about emotional health, and remind people that support is available.
In 2024, 48,824 people in the U.S. died by suicide. That same year, an estimated 14.3 million adults seriously considered suicide, 4.6 million made a suicide plan, and 2.2 million attempted suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While there is no single solution to suicide, meaningful connection can make a difference. Supportive relationships and access to trusted resources can reduce isolation, create pathways to care, and help people find hope during difficult moments.
That is why Create Healthy invests in the people and organizations building stronger connections throughout the Hill Country.
Investing in Mental Health Care
To date, Create Healthy has contributed more than $3.5 million to organizations and programs that help Hill Country residents connect with behavioral healthcare, education, and ongoing support.
These investments help community partners provide services such as:
- Bilingual therapy and counseling
- Trauma-informed care
- School-based mental health services
- Support groups for parents, caregivers, and teens
- Community education and mental health literacy training
- Crisis intervention and suicide-prevention resources
- Behavioral health services in underserved communities
By supporting local, trusted organizations like the Good Samaritan Center, the Grace Center of Fredericksburg, and Morning Hope Ministries, Create Healthy is helping strengthen a local network of care that reaches people in different circumstances and stages of life.
Bringing Mental Health Partners Together
Connection is also essential among the organizations providing behavioral healthcare and other forms of community support.
In 2023, Create Healthy identified an opportunity to strengthen collaboration among behavioral health providers, schools, law enforcement agencies, and social services organizations. Create Healthy brought these partners together through the Hill Country Mental Health Coalition, which now meets regularly to identify service needs, share resources, and improve coordination.
“We felt like we were each solving the same puzzle separately. Now, through the Coalition, we’re working from the same table and sharing information and resources more quickly,” said Mikki Hand, Hill Country Mental Health Coalition chair.
The Coalition helps participants strengthen referrals and better coordinate the services available across the region. By connecting the people and organizations providing help, the Coalition makes support easier for community members to find and access.
“There were moments in those early meetings where we all looked at each other and said, ‘Why haven’t we been talking this whole time?’ That’s what Create Healthy made possible,” Hand added.
Find Support With the Hill Country Resources Directory
Knowing where to turn can be one of the first barriers someone faces when they need help. HillCountryResources.org makes that process easier by bringing information about local services together in one accessible online directory.
The directory is a project of the Hill Country Mental Health Coalition. Individuals, families, and caregivers can use it to explore available mental health services and other forms of support that can affect emotional well-being, including family assistance, food, and shelter resources. Listings provide information to help users identify organizations and programs that may meet their needs.
The directory is available in English and Spanish and can be used by anyone seeking help for themselves or someone they care about.
Visit HillCountryResources.org to explore available services. The directory is an informational resource and is not a substitute for immediate crisis assistance.
Start With One Conversation
You do not need to be a mental health professional to help someone feel less alone. Suicide prevention can begin with a simple, sincere conversation.
This month, and throughout the year, you can:
- Check in with someone you have not heard from recently.
- Ask how they are doing, and give them time to answer honestly.
- Listen without judgment or immediately trying to solve the problem.
- Take statements about suicide or hopelessness seriously.
- Help someone connect with professional support.
- Learn and share trusted crisis resources.
- Continue checking in after the initial conversation.
If you are concerned that someone may be considering suicide, ask directly, and listen carefully. A clear, compassionate question can open the door to an honest conversation and help someone connect with support.
“Mental health begins long before someone seeks therapy. It is shaped at home, in our schools, and throughout our communities through meaningful connections, healthy habits, supportive relationships, and early intervention,” Hand said.
Help Is Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Free, confidential support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If someone is in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
