Reclaiming Futures adding suicide prevention component

A program aimed at helping get youth involved in the judicial system off drugs and to stay in school, among other things, is adding suicide prevention to its mission thanks in part to the efforts of a woman, whose teenage daughter took her own life.

“The whole idea is to surround the children with every service we can to help them become productive citizens. That is my goal. That is Reclaiming Futures goal,” said Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt, who oversees the Reclaiming Futures program in Whitley County.

Cumberland River Behavioral Health, formerly known as Cumberland River Comprehensive Care Center, provides the case managers for the program and is a huge partner with the Reclaiming Futures Program, she added.

Prewitt said that she was prompted to add suicide prevention to the local Reclaiming Futures program after hearing about a program back in the early fall called “Bethany’s Hope,” which was started by Melissa Lawson following the 2018 suicide of her daughter Bethany Faith Lawson.

Each fall, Melissa Lawson leads suicide prevention walks in her daughter’s honor in addition to a horse ride, so Prewitt went to the horse ride to meet her and find out more about “Bethany’s Hope.”

“There was no indication that she was even thinking about it. Of course, it was devastating to Melissa and all the family. Like so many parents, Melissa had to somehow get something positive out of it – I am not a mother, but I can understand that – so she started Bethany’s Hope, and they started having get togethers just to increase suicide awareness and how to prevent it,” Prewitt noted adding that the walks and horse rides raise money to help children and their families.

Prewitt said that she was very moved by Bethany’s story, and asked Melissa Lawson if she had ever heard about the Reclaiming Futures program, which involves juvenile drug court among other aspects.

Prewitt said that she and Melissa Lawson then spoke on the phone several times, and she invited Melissa Lawson to be the keynote speaker at the Reclaiming Futures Christmas dinner.

After the dinner, Prewitt said she spoke with Melissa Lawson, who is going to join her in expanding Reclaiming Futures to also include suicide prevention.

Prewitt said suicide prevention training will be offered through Cumberland River Behavioral Health (Comp Care) as part of the Reclaiming Futures program.

“Trainings will be offered for free on how to recognize and how to help hopefully prevent suicide. I am going to be trained just as soon as I can find the time to do it. It is free,” Prewitt said.

In addition to training adults, Prewitt also hopes to expand the training to include young people under the age of 18 years old.

Anyone wanting to be on the Reclaiming Futures mailing list, is asked to contact Cumberland River Behavioral Health at (606) 528-7010, and leave a message for Greta Baker, including your e-mail address.

In August 2018, 16-year-old Bethany Faith Lawson was a sophomore at Whitley County High School, who loved horses, liked to model, was artistic and passionate about rescuing animals.

Then over the course of a 24-hour time period, she became one of three people, and one of two teenagers in Whitley County to die by suspected suicide over a 24-hour time period.