Journey to Mobile Mental Health; Peer Style Part 1

Jen & Rhy, December 2020

One of the earliest goals of Rhy’s Above was to work toward a physical location in Downingtown where we could provide peer-based support and resources to anyone. After years of research, collaborating with others in the suicide prevention space, and more – I phoned a friend and told him about the struggles we continued to face. Improvements to Kerr Park halted due to flooding challenges and our inability to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a survey alone. Physical locations presented a ton of challenges from cost to regulations and so on. At the end of the day, the amount of fundraising vs the amount of impact we would be able to make in the community and on suicide prevention was incongruent. In addition, the gap we could fill was not – a gap. There are emergency services, we are not that. There are places like Chester County Suicide Prevention Task Force (CCSPTF) and all the wonderful people at National Alliance on Mental Illness, Chesco (NAMI) who provide a myriad of amazing in person services, and on and on.

I didn’t let it go, but we kept hitting roadblocks. Rather than wait, we started the therapy dog program at Beaver Creek, went out more into the community, connected with people, and learned so much. And what we found is that many people out there are just waiting to be met where they are. Life is busy and the demands on our time, energy, focus, money, etc. are great. We’re trying to make room for our mental health before we get to the place of burnout, or worse. The gap we discovered over and over again was one of connection. The kind that really makes you feel like maybe, just maybe you’re not alone. Because yeah, someone who loves you told you for the 100th time you’re not a burden and they love you – but somehow that’s easy to dismiss as pretty, unfounded words born from love and love alone.

I called an advisor and brought him up to speed on the developments since we last spoke. Told him about an upcoming fundraising event where I needed to speak and present what we would do with the money and quite frankly it’s time the rubber meets the road. I don’t feel that a physical location is the right answer right now. Like a lightbulb he says, what do you always say about how you make connections in a disconnected world? By meeting people where they are. That’s what Rhy’s Above does best, take it mobile.

Read Part 2 of the Journey to Mobile Mental Health; Peer Style