Our Current Initatives
Our Current Initiatives
Project 1
Megaphone
Project Megaphone is built with the goal of harnessing the millions of voices of family
members across the United States who have a family member, family friend or coworker who
has battled mental illness or substance abuse. Many of these fighters have lost their battle
through overdose, suicide or criminal violence.
Individuals can sign up, using an alias if they desire, by providing a cell phone number, an email address and the county and state they live in.
Then, when meaningful legislation is moving through the government process, the voices closest to those legislators can be aimed like a laser.
Imagine the difference between 1 family member calling into a politician’s office versus hundreds or thousands and you’ll see the potential impact of Project Megaphone.
Politicians need our help. They are not creative problem solvers. So, we will help them by supporting legislation that helps to Change the Wake.
Individuals can sign up, using an alias if they desire, by providing a cell phone number, an email address and the county and state they live in.
Then, when meaningful legislation is moving through the government process, the voices closest to those legislators can be aimed like a laser.
Imagine the difference between 1 family member calling into a politician’s office versus hundreds or thousands and you’ll see the potential impact of Project Megaphone.
Politicians need our help. They are not creative problem solvers. So, we will help them by supporting legislation that helps to Change the Wake.
Project 2
It’s OK to Not Be OK
A few words with so much power.
And, when spoken by professional athletes and entertainers, magnified in scope and power. There is so much stigma surrounding mental illness and substance abuse. And, there is constant pressure on all of us to be amazing, every day. But, that’s ridiculous. No one is amazing 24/7/365. For humans of all ages, we want to normalize that having a tough day is ok, that it’s part of the journey, part of the wake.
And, our goal is to harness the voices of the incredibly brave athletes and entertainers who have spoken publicly about their own struggles with mental illness or substance abuse with a simple message:
IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK
And, when spoken by professional athletes and entertainers, magnified in scope and power. There is so much stigma surrounding mental illness and substance abuse. And, there is constant pressure on all of us to be amazing, every day. But, that’s ridiculous. No one is amazing 24/7/365. For humans of all ages, we want to normalize that having a tough day is ok, that it’s part of the journey, part of the wake.
And, our goal is to harness the voices of the incredibly brave athletes and entertainers who have spoken publicly about their own struggles with mental illness or substance abuse with a simple message:
IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK
Project 3
Respond
In every corner of the country, suicide rates are increasing annually. But, they are particularly alarming in rural counties..
Change the Wake has a goal of putting a team on the ground in every county, 24/7/365 to respond to people needing services or maybe just someone to talk to, not law enforcement..
Modeled after the uber-successful Cahoots program in Eugene, Oregon Click Here, our teams will be composed of an EMT and a crew member trained in crisis response..
Our plan will be to use private foundation funding to launch each crew in partnership with county leaders, including county sheriffs and other local stakeholders through an initial period where the county can collect data points related to actual budget savings captured by dispatching our crew versus a law enforcement and/or EMS response..
We will also work on training sessions for emergency responders and dispatchers prior to and continuing after launch while also cataloging available services in the county and working with other nonprofits to fill notable service gaps, especially those that might be unique to a particular county..
CAHOOTS annually saves the relatively small city of Eugene Oregon $9 million dollars..
Once we have a functioning team or teams in a county and the county has determined that there is, in fact, a notable savings in the use of our team, the county will be responsible for funding the team going forward..
The Change the Wake non-profit will contract the team’s services through a for-profit entity set up for each county, setting up a simple transition after the first 12-18 months..
Profits from the for-profit entity will be donated back to the non-profit, adding funding to launch more counties..
Private foundations have the option to have their sponsorship of a county team be publicly lauded or kept confidential..
In addition to the county dollars saved, we will also be focused on reducing the county’s suicide rate and other metrics that show the efficacy and ongoing need for the teams.
We will CHANGE THE WAKE of entire counties, families and the individuals struggling in those counties.
Change the Wake has a goal of putting a team on the ground in every county, 24/7/365 to respond to people needing services or maybe just someone to talk to, not law enforcement..
Modeled after the uber-successful Cahoots program in Eugene, Oregon Click Here, our teams will be composed of an EMT and a crew member trained in crisis response..
Our plan will be to use private foundation funding to launch each crew in partnership with county leaders, including county sheriffs and other local stakeholders through an initial period where the county can collect data points related to actual budget savings captured by dispatching our crew versus a law enforcement and/or EMS response..
We will also work on training sessions for emergency responders and dispatchers prior to and continuing after launch while also cataloging available services in the county and working with other nonprofits to fill notable service gaps, especially those that might be unique to a particular county..
CAHOOTS annually saves the relatively small city of Eugene Oregon $9 million dollars..
Once we have a functioning team or teams in a county and the county has determined that there is, in fact, a notable savings in the use of our team, the county will be responsible for funding the team going forward..
The Change the Wake non-profit will contract the team’s services through a for-profit entity set up for each county, setting up a simple transition after the first 12-18 months..
Profits from the for-profit entity will be donated back to the non-profit, adding funding to launch more counties..
Private foundations have the option to have their sponsorship of a county team be publicly lauded or kept confidential..
In addition to the county dollars saved, we will also be focused on reducing the county’s suicide rate and other metrics that show the efficacy and ongoing need for the teams.
We will CHANGE THE WAKE of entire counties, families and the individuals struggling in those counties.
