FORT SMITH -- Organizers hope signs sprouting up around Fort Smith encourage residents both in recent events and in their overall mental health.
The signs, which on one side say "You Matter" and on the other side say "Don't give up," have been placed in front of homes and businesses throughout Fort Smith the past few months. The messages, said panelists at a recent Flood Follow-up and You Matter panel, hopefully will encourage residents affected by mental illness or by the 500-year Arkansas River flood.
Formed at the end of June, You Matter Fort Smith was formed "to remind people they are not alone," according to the group Facebook page. Panel moderator and public attorney Rita Howard Watkins said the signs are a reminder that Fort Smith residents "can all work together," the Southwest Times Record reported.
River Valley Primary Care Services social worker Wansley Harrison said this kind of cooperation can happen through socializing and having a support system. The signs, she said, can encourage such actions.
"Mental health has kind of had a stigma. It's not for the weak-- it's really for the strong," she said. "Reaching out to others to get help takes a lot of courage."
The messages can also be applied to the flood, which has affected more than 300 families in the Fort Smith region. Former Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine Mental Wellness Director Donala Jordon said flood victims' uncertainty about federal funding and relief could lead to anxiety, substance abuse and other mental health-related disorders.
"In each of these instances, this is really an acute response to a (500-year) flood in the zeitgeist of instant gratification," Jordon said. "This is a really difficult thing to live through. I felt anxious myself, even though I wasn't affected by the flood."
"You Matter" signs were handed out to panelists and audience members after the panel concluded.
"This sign isn't going to solve your problems, but it lets you know you're not alone," volunteer Rudy Ledbetter said. "Other people are going through the same issues in their lives, and when you see this, you can learn that resources are out there.
NW News on 08/27/2019