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Free Community Help Expo On Thursday, November 12, Focuses on Community Conversations Addressing 'Navigating Behavioral Health & Suicide'

By: Lorrie Parise
| Published 11/02/2020

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CONROE, TX -- A free Community Help Expo addressing “Navigating Behavioral Health & Suicide” is set for Thursday, November 12 from 1 – 8 pm. The Community Help Expo is open to the public and will be held at the Lone Star Convention Center & Expo Center in Conroe. Participants are asked to register in advance at www.CommunityHelp.org and can attend in-person or virtually.

“With the rise of mental health crisis in our county and throughout the nation, it is essential for us to become aware and informed. Our Community Help Expo will give Montgomery County residents the opportunity to learn about the local resources available for the mental health challenges of today for themselves or someone they know who are facing personal struggles,” said Judge Wayne Mack, Justice of the Peace – Precinct 1, Montgomery County, who was instrumental in coordinating the conference. “We have an extensive selection of presentations planned, panel discussions and an art exhibit, culminating with our keynote speaker, Kevin Hines.”

Doors for the event open at 1 pm and presentations will be from 1:30-4:30 pm.

Breakout sessions in chronological order will be:

• Mental Health in the World of COVID-19.

• Trauma Informed Care/Trust-Based Relational Intervention for Parents.

• How to Have Tough Conversations with Your Teen About Depression and Suicide.

• Talk Saves Lives.

At 5:30 pm:

• Panel discussion on behavioral health and suicide prevention along with a BHSP update and call for volunteers.


• At 6:30 pm:
Presentation by keynote speaker, Kevin Hines, who is a survivor, storyteller and filmmaker. Hines will speak about his own struggles with mental illness and his experience in surviving an attempt at taking his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge.

There will also be an art exhibit and resource fair in the expo center foyer during the event.

“We want to create awareness for mental health issues while also connecting the citizens of Montgomery County to their local mental health resources through the Community Help Expo,” stated Meredith Carter, AgriLife Extension program specialist for the 4-H youth development unit and one of the leaders for the Rebuild Texas Mental Health First Aid grant. “Our hope is to help people understand if they are struggling with mental health or know someone who is, recovery is possible. There are numerous mental health resources available, and we want to highlight what they are for our residents.”

Carter noted that in addition to allowing the BHSP Task Force and AgriLife Extension to host this event, the grant from the Rebuild Texas Fund will also fund the presentation of Mental Health First Aid classes in all 41 counties affected by Hurricane Harvey. Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course in which participants learn about mental health and substance-use issues.

The expo is presented by the Behavioral Health and Suicide Prevention (BHSP) Task Force of Montgomery County, in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Financial support for the event is being provided through a grant from the Rebuild Texas Fund.

The Lone Star Convention & Expo Center in Conroe is located at 9055 Airport Road, 77303. For more information, visit www.CommunityHelp.org.

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