“I’m going to tell you about the time I thought about taking my own life, and how a crisis hotline talked me down from doing it.“
Bruce Walton has been a communications specialist at FrontLine Service since 2020 and shares his personal experience with suicide.
Read More“Many of our clients have literally hit rock bottom, ended up unhoused, and were resilient enough to rebuild their lives. It’s an honor to serve them, cheer for them, and support their journeys.”
Tara Gower has been a Permanent Supportive Housing Program Manager since February 2023.
Read MoreWhen someone is discharged from the hospital after attempting suicide, the first 24 hours can be the most vulnerable. The next twelve months can also be a period of elevated risk. Research consistently demonstrates that follow-up services after an Emergency Department visit or inpatient stay are critical to reducing deaths by suicide. While Cuyahoga County boasts one of the most robust healthcare networks in the country, until recently, there was no program in place to support children and adults during this vulnerable time.
In 2020, with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, FrontLine Service launched Hope-Link, a program dedicated to supporting children and adults during the first year following an attempted or significant thoughts of suicide. FrontLine modeled Hope-Link after two successful pilot projects the agency ran in 2010 and 2017 in partnership with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, respectively.
Read MoreA year ago this month, the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration launched the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to ensure that everyone in the U.S. has access to services like FrontLine’s Crisis Call Center—simply by dialing 9-8-8.
On its one-year anniversary, here are 3 takeaways from the inaugural year of 988 in Cuyahoga County:
Read More“A lot of people would say [the hardest part of my job is] listening to the stories of what our clients go through. But for me, the hardest part is understanding that there is always going to be a need. Our work is continuous. And that’s why I am here.”
Bruce Walton has served as FrontLine Service’s Communications Specialist since 2020.
Read More“A lot of clients who come in are a bit isolated. Everybody is here for different reasons, but they are all here for help. Here, they talk with each other in a safe, supportive environment and find that they’re not alone in their struggles.”
— Kara Poth, Associate Director of Crisis Services, Stricklin Crisis Stabilization Unit.
The Stricklin Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU), located on the west side of Cleveland, is a 15-bed, short-term treatment facility for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis. It is a voluntary program for adults who don’t require hospital admission but need a higher level of services to stabilize. The average stay lasts approximately 7 days.
Read MoreCamp Bridges is a one-day camp for children who have lost a parent or loved one to homicide, suicide, or another traumatic event.
Donors and volunteers make possible a fun and healing day of games, art, nature hike, and other fun activities.
Read MoreMay 23, 2023 — A team of 13 Turner Construction staff volunteers spent the day at FrontLine Service to convert an old records room into a resiliency space for FrontLine staff. Every May, Turner Construction supports local partners in honor of its Founders’ Day of Service.
Read MoreBefore the sun was up, even though her shift wasn’t starting for hours, Kathy traveled to the scene of a homicide. Police had called FrontLine to assist a five-year-old and a seven-year-old at the scene who had witnessed the tragedy. Kathy spent hours with them in the back of a police car and at the hospital, keeping them safe and occupied. She was a calm, comforting presence at their worst moment.
Kathy is a member of FrontLine Service’s Traumatic Loss Response Team (TLRT). Since 2008, TLRT has helped Cuyahoga County families navigate the sudden loss of a loved one to homicide, suicide, or other traumatic event. Licensed clinicians, available 24/7, travel to wherever families need them to provide immediate support after a traumatic loss. The children Kathy supported are among the more than 1,000 individuals TLRT served in 2022.
Read More“Everyone benefits from FrontLine’s ability to end homelessness, promote mental wellness, and help adults and children overcome trauma. They give me hope.”
Laura Desmond is the co-founder of the Acacia Foundation; a donor for 18 years; and a volunteer Camp Bridges Buddy and a Twinkle Shop Elf.
Read More“The most memorable part of my nursing career has been switching from bedside nursing during the Covid-19 pandemic to coming to work here at Frontline. The change has been very beneficial for me, and the work is much more aligned with what I want to do in the future as a public health nurse.”
Allison Stwartwout has worked as an Integrated Care Nurse since 2021.
Read MoreThe FBI Office of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. has awarded Grace Leon with the 2022 Director's Community Leadership Award for her service as a liaison between Cleveland homicide detectives and families dealing with tremendous grief.
Grace will travel to Washington, D.C. in May to be recognized at a national ceremony.
Read More“You have to be a people’s person…I don’t just jump in and say 'You need to do this' and 'You need to do that.' I need to see what is going on with that person before I even think about doing anything.”
Elaine Stephens has been a Life Skills Specialist in the Safe Haven program since 2001.
Read MoreIf you have ever walked by someone lying on a grate on your way to a Cavaliers game, that person might now be a Safe Haven resident.
The Safe Havens are home to adults who have lived on the streets for years, plagued by hallucinations and other symptoms of mental illness.
For more than 25 years, the Safe Havens have encompassed two sites, an 8-bedroom house in Slavic Village and a 12-bedroom house in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood.
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