By: John Winright
THE VILLGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillgereporter.com
Tonie is a person of true love and humility for what she does on a day-to-day basis. She graduated from Toledo University with an MS degree in Guidance and Counseling.
Tonie immediately went into serving the four-county area in these areas of expertise and has been doing so for 33 years.
She is presently CEO of the Four County ADAMhs Board and a part of that is working very hard along with 22 volunteers in the Four County Loss (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) team.
This team, currently composed of 22 volunteers for the four-county area, are contacted in cases of suicide to help survivors.
They usually reach the families 1-2 hours after being called, day or night, and send 2-3 volunteers at a time, with one always being a survivor.
They also provide outreach services for 12 months following an event and introduce survivors to support groups.
Tonie and her husband have four grown children between the two of them. I asked her if she had any personal life experiences with suicide. Tonie said, “Not personally in my family, but my husband lost his father and grandmother to this life changing experience.”
One of the main goals for Tonie and this group is to keep it from happening again. A major concern is when suicide takes place the survivors have a tendency to not talk about it with anyone after it happens. That is why it is so important for Four County Loss to get that communication started.
She stated that depression, anxiety, etc. in people needs to be taken as seriously in the medical field as cancer and other physical diseases. Tonie believes that the same programs and concerns need to be equally dispensed to both scenarios.
She said “We need more programs for suicide prevention to be made available to the public and in schools. And we need funding programs for these victims.”
Long shared that her time spent volunteering with LOSS has been one of the “most challenging and enriching” experiences that she has had in her 33 years working in health care.
The LOSS Team is looking for more members, especially to help expand their regional rapid response teams. Luckily a training seminar will be happening in March for those who feel called to join Long on her plight to help protect the four-county community from suicide. Those interested should contact her at (419) 267-3355 ext. 1.
Everyone should take the time to educate themselves on the signs of mental illness, as well as some of the hints that someone may be contemplating suicide. To destigmatize treatment and have potentially uncomfortable conversations.
We all need to come together to help support those impacted by suicide, with it being said that one suicide affects more than 135 lives.
One of Tonie’s motos ” Is In the things we choose to do, take them seriously, and work towards the ultimate end.”
Tonie Long is an example of true humility and love for everything she and her volunteers are doing!