Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Mark LoMurray's early work in North Dakota's rural and tribal communities inspired the model of Sources of Strength.
Eddy County Community Cares (ECCC) has partnered with New Rockford-Sheyenne School (NR-S) to introduce an innovative and integrative program called Sources of Strength.
Since the organization was founded in the fall of 2015, ECCC's members have worked hard to fulfill the mission "to foster mental health, suicide prevention and awareness, and to provide support for those who have been impacted by suicide."
Up until this point, much of ECCC's efforts have focused on suicide prevention and intervention through the distribution of resources, response training and awareness campaigns. In contrast, Sources of Strength takes a more proactive, or upstream approach, to suicide prevention.
ECCC President Mindy Meier explains, "There are resources and protocols already in place within school for students who are struggling with mental health issues and suicidal ideation. Sources of Strength takes the focus upstream to empower peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture through strength-based messages."
The success of Sources of Strength resides how it includes a multitude of voices. Typically within the first year of a school-based program, staff nominate a small and diverse group of students representing various social circles. The goal is that these peer leaders use strength-based messaging and help students throughout the school to focus on identifiable strengths. Represented in the Sources of Strength wheel, these strengths include family support, positive friendships, mentors, healthy activity, generosity, spirituality, medical access and mental health.
Sources of Strength founder and fellow North Dakotan, Mark LoMurray, of Bismarck, has established himself and this program as the most researched and effective youth suicide prevention program in the country. Sources of Strength has been implemented by middle schools, high schools, faith groups, colleges and more all over the country, and is endorsed by the North Dakota Department of Health and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
For more information visit sourcesofstrength.org.
