Mental health pros staying busy

The COVID-19 pandemic is, unfortunately but unsurprisingly, keeping Oklahoma's mental health professionals and law enforcement personnel plenty busy.

Operators at Heartline, the 2-1-1 resource line that connects people with a variety of social services, made 1,635 mental health referrals during March and April of 2019. During the same two months this year, the total was about 6,680.

“There has been a huge difference,” Margi Preston, Heartline director, said this week. “That is definitely an issue.”

Heartline also runs suicide prevention and resource lines. Preston says there has been an increase in the number of online chats requested. “We do expect those numbers to continue ticking up” as economic fallout from the pandemic continues, she said.

At a mid-April meeting of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council, some area law enforcement officials reported spikes in the number of suicide and mental health calls in the early weeks of the pandemic when stay-at-home orders were issued. The number of calls to some of those departments has leveled off, an encouraging development.

Oklahoma is moving toward a return to “normal” but it's going to take time. A call to 2-1-1 can help if you're struggling. So too can a call to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, (800) 273-8255 or a visit to www. suicidepreventionlifeline. org, where resources and help by chat are available.

Groups helping Oklahomans in a tasty way

Visitors to a mobile meals program in Oklahoma City are receiving more than the usual vegetables and produce. Meals from local restaurants are available, too. It's a result of Oklahomans helping each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. The veggies and produce are a regular part of the Ending Hunger OKC Meals on Wheels program run by St. Luke's United Methodist Church, in partnership with the Oklahoma City-County Health Department. A $250,000 grant to Ending Hunger OKC from OGE Energy Corp., the parent company of OG&E, allowed for the purchase of the meals, which have been distributed the past three weeks. Bank of Oklahoma has lent its support, too. As The Oklahoman's Carla Hinton noted in a story Wednesday, the program helps those in need, the church and health department get to fulfill part of their missions, the financial backers invest in everyday Oklahomans, and local restaurants benefit and help feed hungry families. Kudos to all involved.

Shelter could use cash, hygiene products

The Homeless Alliance does great work assisting Oklahoma City's homeless, and it can use a little help during the coronavirus pandemic. The Oklahoman's Dave Cathey wrote this week about how local churches and other groups have been helping provide sack lunches for the alliance's Westtown shelter. Meantime, hygiene products and financial support are needed. “We could use items like soap, hand sanitizer, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hygiene wipes, combs and sunscreen,” communications director Kinsey Crocker says. The shelter, at 1724 NW 4, is accepting donations on site on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. To coordinate, call Crocker at 405-415-8439 or email kcrocker@homelessalliance. org. Cash donations can be made at the website.

Positive test prompts DOC protocol change

Although Oklahoma's prison system, thankfully, has not been swamped by coronavirus cases, corrections officials are working to ensure that remains the case and that discharged inmates don't leave with COVID-19. The latter happened April 22. The Department of Corrections says that a few hours after an inmate's release from the minimum-security William Key Correctional Center, the DOC received notice that the man had tested positive. A test had been given April 20; the inmate showed no symptoms then or thereafter. Following this incident, the DOC began quarantine procedures for 52 inmates potentially exposed, tested them and started checking them several times per day for COVID-19 symptoms. As of Tuesday, 49 of the tests had come back negative. DOC staff are now testing inmates at least a week prior to their release, a wise change in protocol.