Local Teens Shine the Spotlight on Mental Health

A group of young ladies from La Grange spread messages of hope to those traveling through town on Friday, Sept. 17

Danyelle McIntyre, the organizer and a junior at La Grange High School, held up a poster that read “I’m living proof that it gets better #SUICIDEPREVENTION.” McIntyre has also started an Instagram account @notok_andthatsok to raise awareness about mental health.

Along with McIntyre were her classmates Ellee Sodolak, Emmi Stevens and Emma Ehler. They set up in front of the courthouse on Travis Street in La Grange after school on Friday with their signs, waving at passersby.

“Last year, my sophomore year, I had a bad struggle with mental health,” McIntyre said. “I woke up every day not knowing if I could do it. I felt hopeless. I eventually got past that and I want to help others and remind people that they matter.”

McIntyre and her friends say they plan to continue raising awareness about suicide prevention with similar events in the future, perhaps once a month.

La Grange Police Chief David Gilbreath told the City Council last week that his department is seeing an increase in mental health calls. Deputy Jeremy Castleberry of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is the County’s crisis intervention officer trained and tasked with responding to mental health crises.

Castleberry told the Record last week that he has seen a 20 percent increase in mental health calls so far this year compared to the same time period last year.

Castleberry attributed at least part of that increase to anxiety, stress and joblessness associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Look for our interview with Castleberry and more about how the community is dealing with mental health in the next few issues of the Record.