Psychological First Aid for First Responders

Psychological First Aid for Parents

Psychological First Aid for Teachers

After the Tornado: Helping Young Children Heal

Parent Guidelines for Helping Children after a Tornado

Teacher Guidelines for Helping Students after a Tornado

I don’t know where to get help, who do I call?

Call 2-1-1. We are available 24 hours a day.

Where can I get basic necessities?

• Contact the American Red Cross at 405-228-9500 or visit their website at www.redcross.org

Where can I report a missing loved one?

• To make a report for missing loved one who resides in Moore, contact the Moore Police Department 405-799-4357

• To make a report for missing loved ones who reside in Oklahoma City, contact OKCPD Missing Persons Unit at 405-297-1129

Where can I search for a missing loved one or list myself as safe?

• Please visit www.safeandwell.org to register yourself as safe or to search for loved ones.

How do I apply for FEMA  disaster aid?

• Online at www.disasterassistance.gov , by phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or by a web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov .

 How do I look for a displaced pet?

• All shelters with displaced pets are posting photos on http://okclostpets.com/ .

How can I Volunteer?

• Go to www.unitedwayokc.org and www.redcross.org and register.  No phone calls please. Needs and projects will be put together over the next few days.

• Visit the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC) website at www.okmrc.org  and click on “OKMRC Inquiry” . Click on the opportunity link for more information on volunteering. Volunteers with and without medical training are needed.

• The ODMHSAS is coordinating volunteer efforts for behavioral health professionals that would like to assist with the mobile crisis response. If you are a licensed mental health professional, a certified case manager, or a certified recovery support specialist and would like to assist those affected by the tornadoes please call 405-522-3908. 

• Manual labor volunteers are needed for debri cleanup and or home salvage in Pottawatomie County. If you would like to organize a work group please contact Cindy Smith with Lakeview Church of Christ at 405-481-0008 or 405-714-2812

Where can I donate?

The best way to donate at this time is through a financial donation or by giving blood at a local Oklahoma Blood Institute location near you.

• Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY
  • https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/uss/eds/aok

• Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to make a tax-deducible donation go to www.regionalfoodbank.org or call 604-7111 or text FOOD to 32333 to give $10 to relief efforts.

• Red Cross and the Regional Food Bank are asking for cash donations per recent statements/press releases. Donations of clothing and supplies are strongly discouraged
  • www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation

• Do not drop off donation items at shelter locations unless asked to do so! It will slow down their operations.

• To donate physical items for disaster relief, please view this list of official drop off locations.

All participants will receive player gift bags, continental breakfast, and BBQ lunch buffet. Registration and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. and opening ceremonies begin at 9:00 a.m. There will be a silent auction and BBQ buffet at 2:00 p.m. and awards ceremony at 3:00 p.m.

Don’t miss out on your chance to take part in this fun event!

To register an individual or sponsor team, please visit the Hope & Honor Event Page.

He is leaving HeartLine after nearly 3 years as our Call Center Coordinator. Louis is pursuing a change in his career path and becoming a nurse, a dream he has held for a number of years. 

We will greatly miss our Louis, truly one-of-a-kind. We always looked to Louis for a poignant quote, perspective on life, musical ditty or a genuine listening ear. He has a laugh that is unforgettable, and I will miss hearing that at HeartLine. 

You may not know that working at HeartLine is more than a regular “job”, and that often we find ourselves taking on a variety of tasks. Some job descriptions refer to those activities as “other duties as assigned”. But Louis has embraced all of those duties in remarkable stride, going the extra mile and most notably, always with a smile. Those who give their lives and careers in service to others and to the greater good do not do so for money; they do it for a love of people, and Louis is representative of that.

In his own words, here is an excerpt from an essay authored by Louis entitled, “Risk”:

“A life of passion observes the risks, encounters the obstacles, and then presses forward against all odds to make what seemed impossible become reality. A few years ago I began the path toward nursing school and have faced numerous challenges in completing the prerequisites to get to the point I am at now, ready to enter a nursing program. This path has involved the risk of failure, the challenge of financial trial, the challenge of being a single father, and the risk that switching careers simply might not be obtainable. It is my passion to succeed, however, that has brought me this far and will ultimately be the driving force toward my success.” 

Yes, Louis has that passion, and I have no doubt he will be successful. As I remarked to him this morning, he is leaving HeartLine better than he found it, and that is what we should all strive to do with whatever, and whomever, we involve ourselves. If you are under Louis’s medical care one day, you will be in good hands.

This blog is brought to you by Kelly Nutter, Executive Director

Living in the middle between caring for others and caring for self is a delicate balancing act and calls for an endless stream of decisions.  The limits of our time and energy force choices on us—tough choices. Is now the time to take care of me? Or is it you? When should I say “no” to you and “yes” to me?   Even as most of us intellectually accept that self-care is important, we do not fully believe or practice it.

There are three basic areas of self-care that HeartLine training recommends for those who are in the business of caring for others: Centering Yourself, Positive Self-Talk, and Listening to Yourself.  That would apply to most of us as we are all friends, co-workers, parents, children, and otherwise in the business of being around other people. 

Centering yourself at the beginning of your day is a great way to gain focus.  Using specific imagery or symbolism will help this experience have a bigger impact.  For some people that may mean prayer and for others it may be an exercise in relaxation.  Here is an exercise you might do before starting your day: 

•  Find a standing position that feels comfortable, let your eyes close and your body relax. Let your eyes relax in your head… let your ears take over for awhile… unlock your knees and relax your legs. Relax your stomach—your chest—your shoulders. Let your body rock from side to side; shift your weight from one side to another. Keep rocking slower and slower until you find a spot where you are perfectly balanced and centered. Now rock front and back until you find the place where your weight is right over your arches—heels and toes sharing your weight equally. Now pretend you have a body inside you that no one can see. Let that inside body rock side to side until it becomes centered, too. Then rock the inside body front and back. Now, imagine letting your mind sink down to your center. Enjoy the feelings of being perfectly balanced, relaxed, and centered and realize that you can return to that feeling whenever you need to feel relaxed and at peace.

During the course of the day when you feel your body tense, you may be working too hard. Tension does not come from outside forces; it is something that you produce. So when you begin to experience tension or stress, there are some things you can do to care for yourself.

1. Become more aware of your tension—aware of the muscular tightness. “Letting go” is not done by avoiding tension but by experiencing it.
2. Realize that you are creating the tension. Though you may be doing so unconsciously, it is still your own doing.
3. Discover how you create and hold onto these tensions. Try and find out what the tension is trying to tell you.

Positive self-talk is another key element for self-care.  In reviewing your day, how do you talk to yourself about it?  Be aware of what you say to yourself as it can make a lot of difference.  Once you identify how you talk to yourself, then you can decide if you want to change your “self-talk.” If you’re feeling inadequate or dispirited about the way you’ve handled a situation—take another look at it. You can tell yourself it’s the worst thing you’ve ever done, or you can look at it as another opportunity to learn.  Most people believe the messages they have been told in their life —practice some healthy ways to evaluate a situation and allow yourself permission to be human.  To err.  To forgive yourself and those around you.  Symbolize “putting away” your day by doing something involving movement. It will have more meaning for you. For example, here’s a simple exercise you might do before leaving your job, or before going to bed:

• Find a place to stand where you can stretch out your arms without touching anything. Stand with your feet apart—find a way to stand that’s relaxed.  Now take a deep breath and raise your arms to shoulder height. Breathe deeply in and out as you stretch your arms out as far as they’ll go. Now with each in-breath raise your arms above your head and with each breath exhaled lower them to your sides. Now say “Ah…”

Listening to yourself is another key way to practice self-care. Do you know what fills you, nurtures you? Listen to your pulse, your feet, and your shoulders. Listen to your hopes and your spirit. Listen to your sadness and your joy. If you are hungry for a pizza, a glass of water will not be satisfying. If you are hungry for some love, shopping probably will not help. If your body is exhausted for lack of exercise, napping is not the treatment it needs. Listen to yourself. You may need excitement, calmness, freedom, laughter, tenderness, or serenity. You can give yourself a lecture or a pat on the back. You can pamper yourself with a gift or a massage. You can go to a movie, read a book, or take a bubble bath. However, you can’t care for yourself until you know what you need.

• Ask yourself:

Given all the circumstances in my life right now, what would it mean for me to take better care of myself?”

• Listen to your answer—pay attention. Then take action.  Don’t wait for a miracle or a “knight in shining armor.” Don’t wait for “them”—whoever they are—to notice your need.  Stoke your fires yourself, and rekindle your own spirit.

Practicing regular self-care time, even if it’s only five minutes, is important.  Setting aside time each day for yourself will keep you on your own list of “needy” people and help you focus. You have the right to take care of yourself, give yourself permission to do it!

This blog is brought to you by Kelly Nutter, Exeutive Director

(From left) Counselors Amy Hill, Angie Winborn, and Principal Linda Wilkes are presented with the Audrey Hatley Award from Audrey's mother Pandy Pinazza.

A History of the Audrey Hatley Award

Each year, HeartLine recognizes a school that has placed special emphasis on health and safety education.  Recipients incorporate any of a number of public safety initiatives, such as suicide prevention and awareness, mental health education, depression screenings, substance abuse awareness, and school violence awareness, into their overall curriculum. The award is named for Audrey Hatley, a local fourteen-year-old girl who took her own life. Audrey Hatley’s story is a reminder of the importance of understanding and taking action on the warning signs of depression and suicide.

HELP–the Healthy Education for Life Program

HELP, HeartLine’s Healthy Education for Life Program, provides free, interactive training to increase awareness and empower students to prevent bullying and suicide among peers. Since its inception in 1997, HELP has reached over 50,000 students in the Oklahoma City metro area with its in-class presentations and seminars. HELP learning opportunities focus on dispelling the negative stigma of getting help for mental illness and suicidal tendencies, understanding the warning signs of suicide in peers, and learning how to take action so that at-risk students are identified and receive the help they need. ASK-LISTEN-TELL is the cornerstone of HELP and is a simple and easily remembered model that students can employ if they suspect a peer is depressed or suicidal.

In 2008, HeartLine’s HELP initiative was recognized by the American Association of Suicidology Best Practices Registry for suicide prevention. The initiative includes a 20-minute video, group discussion, an interactive group activity, and the cornerstone of HELP: the Ask-Listen-Tell model. HELP presentations also include a brief evaluation in which students have the opportunity to self identify as being at risk for depression or suicide.

For more information about HeartLine’s HELP initiative, please contact Rachel Yates, Director of Suicide Prevention and Outreach Programs at ryates@heartlineoklahoma.org or by phone at 405.840.9396 x107.

A distraught woman called 2-1-1 looking for some resources in her area and during the course of conversation, the call specialist recognized the caller’s thoughts of suicide, provided compassionate listening, gave appropriate referrals, and scheduled a follow-up call. During the follow-up call a few days later, the woman expressed gratitude for the compassion and encouragement she received during her initial call. She credited the call specialist with saving her life!

She reported that she is doing much better, is seeing a therapist, and has decided to make some life changes. She shared that she decided to relocate closer to her family and support system.

That woman was empowered to make some changes in her life after being connected to help and hope when she needed it most. HeartLine 2-1-1 truly is making a difference in the lives of people in our community!

Need help and don’t know who to call? Call 2-1-1 to get connected to help, hope, and information 24 hours a day!

This blog brought to you by Janice McCaslin, Office Manager

By calling HeartLine 2-1-1, a Call Specialist is available 24 hours a day to listen and help you find the perfect volunteer opportunity in your community. HeartLine also has volunteer opportunities in our call center and as a presenter for our youth suicide prevention initiative, HELP. Learn more about HeartLine’s volunteer opportunities on the volunteer opportunities section of our website.

Whether you decide to help the environment or volunteer for a home improvement project for the Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, HeartLine will give you the information you need to help make a difference.

This blog brought to you by:                                                        Danielle Harris, Call Center Coordinator

In reality, our highest call volume on the Lifelines occurs in the spring, which is consistent with findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Center for Health Statistics within the CDC reports that suicide rates are actually at their lowest in December and peak during the spring and fall. Click here to read more from the CDC related to holiday suicides.

December is a time where many families come together and people feel more connected and cared for. No matter what time of year it is, we encourage you to take time to connect with your friends and family. Listening and offering support throughout the year can make you a safe person to turn to and can really make a difference for someone else.

While the myth may not be based on facts, suicide is an important topic to bring awareness to year round. Help is available and with help comes hope. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, HeartLine is here to listen 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-TALK.

This blog brought to you by Matt Cordray, COO

Although suicide happens at all ages, youth ages 10-24 are considered a high risk population and in Oklahoma the rate of youth suicide is above the national average. One of the most difficult things about reaching the youth in need relates to the method of communication they are offered. With advances in technology, youth today are accustomed to texting, chatting, blogging, and instant messaging. Talking on the phone as a means of communication or connection is less common for youth today and this trend doesn’t seem to be changing.

With the addition of a chat program for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, HeartLine will be able to offer a familiar, convenient, and comfortable communication option for youth and Oklahomans of all ages. The chat program is currently scheduled to launch on February 1, 2013. HeartLine is passionate about being Oklahoma’s community crisis connection and is committed to preventing youth suicide.

From everyone at HeartLine we say “Thank You” to the Sarkeys Foundation for seeing our vision and giving us the necessary funding to save Oklahoma lives!

This blog brought to you by: Lisa Harper, Director of Development