Humboldt Connections awarded various members of the community for their participation in Mental Health Awareness Month, as well as their involvement in raising awareness of the mental health issues within the Winnemucca community. Among those honored was Sixth Judicial Court Judge, the Honorable Mike Montero. Judge Montero was presented with the “You Make a Difference in This World” award.
“He’s just been a constant support for mental health support and suicide awareness,” Pauline Salla, Director of Juvenile Services, said. “And you know, he walks the talk. He’s the judge and he walks the talk everyday and makes sure that people in our community know there’s support and that there’s help and that there’s hope.”
For Judge Montero, community efforts surrounding mental health is somewhat of a personal matter. Having experienced loss in his own life, Judge Montero believes his personal experiences with grief helped give him a better understanding of the sense of utter hopelessness and loss one may unexpectedly find themselves in. His position as judge helps to amplify this understanding into the public sphere.
“I think the most obvious thing is with my work,” he said. “I see so many people who come through the court, they’re struggling with mental health. I think the mental health combined with the high instances of suicide in our community is what really caused me to become more involved in this issue. And see the need for not only more treatment and more services but just acknowledgment of how mental health is affecting our community and hopefully bring awareness to it so that we can do something about it.”
In 2017, Judge Montero helped organize the “Zero Suicide Initiative” which began with a roundtable discussion on suicide prevention.
Following this discussion, organizers made efforts to raise awareness within the community and train local law enforcement officers in crisis intervention. Humboldt Connection Suicide Prevention, the group responsible for organizing this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month Initiative, was also founded in the midst of these efforts.
When asked for the motivation to begin this initiative, Judge Montero reflected on a jarring experience in 2016 where a detective presented him with a suicide note from a young member of the community:
“For me it really started about 2016, when we had a couple of suicides in our community and it was some young people,” he said. “I remember vividly the first meeting with then Detective (Jim) Loveless who had come to me with a suicide note by a young person who had taken their life. Because (Loveless)knew of what I was doing in the courts with specialty courts, and setting up the family support center, and trying to bring treatment to their community he brought it to me. It was just heartbreaking to see first hand one of these suicide notes that was a young person just begging for help. I mean, literally just begging for help. And without receiving the help, he then took his life. That was really what was the catalyst for me to want to do more in the community.” Judge Montero said.
This experience left a significant imprint on Judge Montero, forcing him to reckon with the lack of mental health resources available in Winnemucca There have been strides made since 2016 to build local infrastructure and support for adequate mental healthcare within the community. These strides include growing support for Humboldt Connections Suicide Prevention and Family Support Center, the leading local organiations providing mental health resources resources to assist those in need. However, Judge Montero believes there is still much to be done.
“We don’t have psychologists or psychiatrists or mental health professionals, at least very many and consistently in our community. Even more important, even just to get normal you and me trained on the signs of suicide and how to speak to someone is a huge benefit to community. I think so often we have an opportunity to intervene but we don’t know what we’re looking for.” Judge Montero said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please know there are people in the community willing to help. You deserve support and to find the care you need. To find more information on the local support and services available, visit HumboldtSuicideprevention.org
Additional awards given out by Humboldt Connections for Mental Health Awareness Month were as follows:
