8 A
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2017
Upriver
from 1A
If a person is able to get
hold of information on these
types of programs, the rules
and regulations can be confus-
ing.
“You sit down with the
paperwork and say, ‘I have to
understand this?’” O’Mara
said. “If you’re getting that
and you’re elderly, you may
not understand.”
Even accessing insurance
information can be difficult,
with internet access in the
region sparse.
Even if they could get
health
insurance,
the
deductibles are high for the
community.
Mashell Moore, who drives
the school bus up and down
Highway 36, expanded the
idea of cost to the entire med-
ical system.
“I can spend $250 to step in
the door and you tell me to
take a pill, go home and let it
work itself out,” she said. “I
can’t afford that and most
people up here can’t afford
that stuff. People don’t want
to pay $200 for them to take
their blood pressure.”
The Swisshome audience
asked for educational oppor-
tunities on insurance, where
someone would be able to
take a person through the
process step by step, a solu-
tion that O’Mara thinks the
proposed medical building
could handle.
A mobile medical unit was
also suggested by the
Swisshome audience, or, at
the very least, a transportation
system that could bring resi-
dents down to Mapleton for
medical care.
One of the largest discus-
sions of night revolved around
mental healthcare.
“We need addiction and
mental health counseling in And even at a school district, the recent shooting in the area. understand what ‘behavioral
this area,” Pastor Moore said. when I call a crisis line to say In a carjacking spree that health’ is,” she said. “But
“It’s a big problem in this ‘This kid’s in crisis and I need spanned a large swath of the when you say, ‘mental health,’
area. Huge.”
the crisis response team,’ they Upriver community, Mapleton there’s a stigma. And we’re
“There’s a big lack of sup- won’t come. And it’s not my resident Cameron Ollman, trying really hard to reduce
port for any mental health first rodeo, it’s not my first who himself suffered from that stigma.”
services,” O’Mara said. “And crisis. But even as an educa- behavioral health issues,
While behavioral support
that runs the gamut from chil- tional professional, I can’t get ended up in a shootout with for adults is still a vision,
dren who have behav-
counseling for chil-
ioral problems all the
dren and young adults
“We want to have healthy, happy kids that grow up would be taken care
way to addiction, to
mental health crisis.”
to be healthy, happy adults. And that’s not going to of by the grant.
“We deal with the
O’Mara went over
happen if we don’t do anything about it.”
kids all the time about
different forms of
— Mashell Moore therapy that could be
this,” Mashell said.
“Just go online and
Mapleton School District Bus Driver offered.
look
at
their
Play therapy would
Facebooks. You’ll see
have children and
what’s going on. If we don’t the crisis response teams.”
Florence city police, along counselors building a trusting
get to them in time, we’re
The situation can be worse with county and state offi- rapport that could help coax
going
to
have
more for those without the crisis cials.
out issues. Another therapy
Brandon’s. And then we’ll training O’Mara has, particu-
One of the major hurdles would be teaching a parent
have the fallouts.”
larly in an isolated location.
regarding mental health is the how to interact with their
In
December
2016,
“I can be driving a bus up negative stereotype that can child in a one-on-one parent-
Mapleton High School fresh- the creek and some crazy dude surround it.
ing class.
man and football player comes out of the woods,”
“People feel like that’s a
“We need to teach parents
Brandon Kimble took his own Mashell said. “I need to be stigma,” Mashell said. “So, it’s okay to say, ‘I don’t know
life.
equipped to know how to help they don’t want to admit that how to handle my child,’”
“We don’t want that,” this person. I need to know to they need help. And then if O’Mara said. “That doesn’t
Mashell continued. “We want distinguish what’s wrong, and they do get to the point of des- reflect negatively on the par-
to have healthy, happy kids who I call to get somebody peration where they need ent, it just means you need
that grow up to be healthy, some help. We need to know help, they’re afraid that they help and support. We need to
happy adults. And that’s not those things because we are can’t afford it and that no one remove the stigma.”
going to happen if we don’t do out in the middle of nowhere.” will help them. They slip
O’Mara hopes the decision
anything about it.”
But even if someone could through the cracks. Even if on the grant will come down
And it isn’t just children identify a problem and they get to step one, then in March. When that occurs,
that are having issues.
attempt to help, getting regu- they’re shoved off to nowhere progress on the project will be
“I’m talking about adults,” lar mental health checkups land.”
rapid.
Pastor Moore said. “There are can be daunting.
That stigma is something
“We’re already in the plan-
people in this area who don’t
“I called a place that said, O’Mara wants to alleviate by ning process,” she said. “So,
have the mental ability to ‘Leave your name and number calling the program Western when we get the grant, we’ll
even help themselves. I mean, and I’ll get back to you within Lane Behavioral Health just hit the floor running. We
we’ve got some people in two days.’ It’s been nine Network.
can say OK. This is our site,
Mapleton that walk the months. And she never called
“A lot of people don’t we’ve already had an architect
streets, and they’re not men- me back. And I had to go a
tally stable.”
different direction,” Mapleton
Getting behavioral health- High School Principal Brenda
care in the area can be impos- Moyer said.
sible, even in times of imme-
“Every case worker is too
diate crisis.
busy,” Green said. “And then
“There’s plenty of services you have people who aren’t in
out there you can call,” the system who need to be.”
O’Mara said. “The problem is
And for a tiny minority of
getting them to respond to those who don’t get help,
such a rural community. It has tragedy can strike.
to be an extremely dire need.
Pastor Moore brought up
come look at the site and talk
about the cost to update and
renovate it. So it’s ready for
healthcare support.”
To make that project suc-
cessful, with a path to greater
medical help in the area,
O’Mara said the community
needs to be a part of the con-
versation.
“We need to keep that con-
versation going and getting
ideas and thoughts,” she said.
“And once we get the grant,
we’ll come out and say, ‘We
have a grant, here’s the plan.’”
The turnout at that night’s
meeting in Swisshome was
low — only five participants
showed up. There had been
other meetings in the past
couple of weeks at Mapleton
and Deadwood, and they were
equally anemic, according to
O’Mara.
“It’s OK,” O’Mara said.
“We will have other meet-
ings.”
O’Mara is confident that
the community will continue
the conversation, with new
ideas and support coming in.
She’s also confident that the
grant will go through.
“If for some reason the
grant is not awarded, we
won’t give up and we won’t
stop. This is important,” she
said.
For more information
on the network, contact
O’Mara by phone at 541-268-
4312
or
email
at
jomara@mapleton.k12.or.us.
Boys & Girls Club of Western
Lane County
We are looking for volunteers to help with
• Elementary tutoring, mentoring and program assistance
• Teen Center tutoring, mentoring and program assistance
• Club van and bus drivers
1601 15th St. • Florence, OR. 97439
541-902-0304
Florence Food Share
Ask us about volunteer opportunities.
2190 Spruce Street • P.O.Box 2514
Florence, Oregon 97439
(541) 997-9110
info@fl orencefoodshare.org
Friends of the
Siuslaw Public Library
Volunteer
Get
involved
Donate
Do your part and
volunteer today
to help support
these local non-proft
organizations in
our community!
We are a non-profi t 501 ©(3) organization
Our purpose is to partner with the Siuslaw Public Library District through
advocacy & fundraising. We fundraise with book sales the community really
enjoys! We have fun creating greeting cards to sell! We hope you will join
FOL and be an active volunteer. Contact us at siuslawlibraryfriends@gmail.
com Check our bulletin board in the Siuslaw Library for meetings schedule
and more about what we do.
Blanket
Drive
for the
homeless
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteers needed for new home construction,
home repairs, general
offi ce work, public relations and program administration. Join an
operating committee and help Habitat help others!
Call 541-902-9227 or e-mail to fl orencehabitat@gmail.com
Offi ce located at 2004 HWY 101, Florence
Helping Hands Coalition
Assisting those in need in our Community.
Free Hot Meals Mon-Wed-Fri • 12:30 AM - 1:30 PM
New Life Lutheran Church, 2100 Spruce St, next to Foodshare
Call 541-997-5057 to Volunteer
Meals on Wheels and Cafe 60
Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get
out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly,
regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new
friends in a dining room setting.
1570 Kingwood, PO Box 2313, Florence
541-997-5673
laneseniormeals.org
The Salvation Army-Western Lane County
Col. Sam Spayd, Volunteer Kettle Coordinator
P.O. Box 1041
Florence, Oregon 97439
541-991-6139
Us Too Florence
Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who understands!”
541-997-6626
maribob@oregonfast.net
www.ustoofl orence.org
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Please help us by donating
new or gently used and clean blankets to the homeless.
You may drop off your donated items at Th e Siuslaw News
148 Maple St. in Historic Old Town Florence
Donations accepted until December 29th
Siuslaw News
Need more info? Call us at 541-997-3441
or visit our website, thesiuslawnews.com