I would like to start by introducing myself. My name is Ashley Ragain, I am a wife and mother of four beautiful children and a foster mother. I am a paramedic in Jackson County and I have a passion for helping those with mental illness. I am also the founder and president of the non-profit organization Mental Healing Inc. Mental Healing's focus is on adolescents in particular. We believe if we beg
in to help these patients at a younger age, we will have less adults suffering severely from severe mental illness. Our goal is to create a place in which young people can meet with counselors, spend time in groups with peers who may be in similar situations, offer substance abuse support for those who may need it, as well as offer Christian counseling staff for those who want it. We want this to be a safe place for those who may need it at any time with 24/7 accessibility. We want to offer free services to those who may not otherwise be able to afford counseling services. Our goal is to also offer transportation to and from the facility for those who would not be otherwise be able to attend a counseling session or a group meeting. We hope to implement a day program for those who may need more than a single visit a week with their counselor. We want to offer another solution other than inpatient services, which is often many miles from home. Some young people who need more than a single counseling session a week could benefit from a day program. We would like to eventually offer inpatient capabilities for those who need these services. As someone who has suffered from mental illness myself and who has witnessed my child go through the inpatient process, I see the need for something more in Jackson County. Our goal is to begin to help and treat mental illness as early as possible and to equip these patients with the tools and resources to help them in the future as well. We ask that you join us in the fight to end the stigma against mental illness and to raise awareness to those that are suffering. Help us equip young people, heal them sooner and give them the knowledge going into adulthood they will need to fight the battle later in life if need be. Mental illness is a battle a majority of young people will fight at one time or another; let's help them realize they do not have to fight the fight alone.