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Visit our website www.mentalhealthpolk.org

The Mental Health Task Force of Polk County, Wisconsin began in January 2008 when a group of individuals and agencies came together over coffee and cookies to meet one another and discuss community needs related to mental health. What started as a loose organization of interested parties has grown into an active and effective coalition of mental health care providers, government and law enforcement representatives, human service agencies, school personnel and community members.

Our goals include:

• Reduce stigma associated with mental health issues
• Improve access to mental health care
• Increase awareness of mental health issues via educational programming
• Identify and address mental health issues that face our community

Mental Health Task Force initiatives have included:

Website and Brochure: Our brochure lists all area mental health service providers and is available throughout our community. Our website www.mentalhealthpolk.org provides listings of local mental health and AODA providers, links to provider websites, basic information about specific mental health and AODA issues, and crisis assistance via a local hotline

The “Back-of-the-Door Campaign” our innovative program designed to raise awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma of seeking help by placing eye-catching posters in on the backs of bathroom doors or other locations in businesses, hospitals, schools, and social service organizations.

QPR Training: QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer-- 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. We have provided QPR training to dozens of area organizations and schools.

Lifelines Training: The Mental Health Task Force collaborates with the Hazelden Foundation to provide Lifelines: A Comprehensive Suicide Awareness and Responsiveness Program for Teens to all of the middle and high schools in Polk County.

Suicide Prevention: The Mental Health Task Force of Polk County was recently selected as a recipient of a grant from Mental Health America of Wisconsin to develop our area as a model community for youth suicide prevention.

You can help! The Mental Health Task Force depends on donations from individuals and organizations to accomplish its goals. We also depend on our dedicated members and volunteers who work tirelessly to support the mental health needs of our community. And we still get together over coffee and cookies!