FANNIN COUNTY, Texas (KXII) – Thursday, a Texas non-profit gave a million dollar grant to help counter suicide rates in Texoma.
“That was probably the most special thing that will probably ever happen to me in my entire life,” said Community Well TX CEO and President Stephanie Chandler.
That “special thing” is a one million dollar grant awarded to behavioral health leadership team ‘Community Well TX.’
“Most grants you get are very specific,” Chandler said. “This one, the funder let us as a whole community collaborative decide what would work best for our community.”
Texoma Community Foundation funded the Hope & Promise grant, which aims to build a stronger, healthier Fannin County through community navigation and resources, certified mental health peace officer trainings and the final and biggest piece:
“We have two full-time co-responders that work and respond to every mental health call that comes into dispatch and Fannin County, and that includes every single police department within the county,” said Chandler.
Fannin County Sheriff Cody Shook said the co-responder program is a step in the right direction.
Co-responder Michael Vines is one of two hired to step in when people call 911 for help.
“A lot of times law enforcement isn’t who they need to talk to,” Vines said. “They need resources in the community.”
The Texoma Community Foundation serves Marshall, Bryan, Grayson and Fannin Counties. Their CEO, Michelle Lemming shared during Thursday’s discussion that a heartbreaking discovery about Fannin County and suicide rates brought her to tears.
“Fannin County had the third highest suicide rate in the state of Texas,” Lemming said. “That really became our driver to say ‘how do we shift these numbers?’”
Billionare philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, donated $6 million to TCF, and TCF matched that donation to launch the $12 million project, and Community Well TX is the first of many set to make a difference.
If you, or anyone you know, is dealing with suicidal thoughts,
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