Deschutes County Behavioral Health Offers Resources After Bend Shooting Tragedy

Community traumatic event

Our community has experienced a traumatic event. These incidents are disruptive, dysregulatory and traumatic. Everyone reacts differently to a traumatic event and that’s normal. It is important to know that your reactions are normal and may differ from those of your friends or family members. It is important to give yourself time. Some will need immediate, short-term support as well as longer-term support to access resources and healing.

Short and long term support

• The first thing to consider is making sure our own individual basic needs are met – this concept of making sure we put on our oxygen mask first. Are you eating nutritious foods and drinking water? Do you have access to the rest and refuge you need? Be sure to keep yourself in check and if you notice significant changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, sleep patterns, reach out to your support system or consider accessing one of the supports provided below.
• Think about what self-care activities you need to put in place to help you deal with the stress of this traumatic incident – maybe these are activities like doing the laundry so everyone in your household has clean clothes , take a shower, take prescribed medication, pay bills or even brush your teeth. Or maybe you listen to music, create art, take a walk, meditate or breathe deeply.
• In addition to helpful and supportive self-care actions, it is essential to pay attention to behaviors or actions that are not helpful – such as engaging in things that can be destructive, engaging in risky behaviors or consuming drugs. substances.

Resources

• Pilot Butte Middle School Drop-In Center On-site, one-on-one or small group support for anyone in the community who needs help. Comprised of chaplains and behavioral health staff from St. Charles and Deschutes County, all trained in critical incident response strategies. You can access this resource at 1501 NE Neff Rd. in Bend beginning August 29, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency or serious thoughts of self-harm, please call the 988 crisis line. Calling 988 connects you to staff ready to provide compassionate and accessible care and support to anyone suffering from distress related to mental health. Staff on this number also have access to our local crisis teams.
• You can also contact the Deschutes County Stabilization Center for walk-in psychiatric crisis services at 63311 Jamison Street Bend, OR 97703. Hours: 24 hours. 322-7500 ext. 9.