Mental health advocates are helping local residents find a little hope this September.
That might be in some of Johnson County’s most popular places, or hidden in plain sight in your own neighborhood. People will need to complete challenges by working together as a team.
By building connections among other people, the hope is to spread some positivity and boost one of the biggest ways to reduce the risk of suicide.
“We know that social connections are the greatest protective factors against suicide. We want to build on that,” said Hope Thompson, project coordinator for Upstream Prevention, a community organization focused on health.
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County, has organized the Hope Squad Goosechase Experience, a free app-based scavenger hunt created in recognition of Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week. The experience will begin at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10 and run through 9 p.m. Sept. 16.
Local residents are encouraged to create a team of any size and complete a series of missions at your own pace over the course of the week. Teams who finish all missions will be entered into a random drawing to win a prize pack valued near $400. The prizes are from places such as the Apple Works, Dollie’s Farm and Main & Madison Market Cafe — all places to further build bonds among people.
“They’re all centered around social connections,” Thompson said. “Imagine if you were to spend a day with your team, doing fun things — here’s ways to do that.”
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County is a community organization aiming at preventing suicide by mobilizing the community through education and use of resources to increase awareness and decrease stigma. Formed in 2019, local mental health officials were concerned about the damage suicide was doing throughout Johnson County.
In 2020, Johnson County had a suicide rate of 16.2 per 100,000 population, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. That number is higher than the state average of 15.4 per 100,000.
The coalition has worked diligently to educate the community about the risks and signs of potential self-harm, and hosted trainings, workshops and other events to spotlight the problem.
Organizers understand the seriousness of the issue, Thompson said. But they also know that it can be approached in a light-hearted way.
“We want to focus on the positive. The topic of suicide is a very heavy one, and a dark one. There are many actions people can take to prevent suicide, and some are very simple, basic things. Social connections are one of them,” Thompson said.
The Hope Squad Goosechase Experience is the second scavenger hunt organized by mental health advocates in the county. In May, Upstream Prevention, a local organization aimed at promoting public health, planned a community-wide wellness scavenger hunt called The CHASE.
The aim was to challenge people to focus on their whole-body health — melding physical health and mental health to best benefit local residents.
Area residents really responded well to it, and organizers hope to build on that with the Hope Squad event, Thompson said.
Whereas The CHASE could be done solo or with friends, organizers are pushing this to be a team experience.
“It can be friends, it can be family, it can be coworkers, it can be neighbors. It can be two people on a team, four people on a team, 10 people on a team. It doesn’t matter,” Thompson said.
The idea is also to encourage participants to reach out to those they know who might benefit from social interaction.
“As you build your team, think about someone in your world or your life who could really benefit from some social connection time. Maybe they’ve been isolated lately, or they’ve gone through a really tough time lately, whatever that might be,” Thompson said. “Invite them. They might not participate, but invite them anyway.”
The scavenger hunt is hosted through the Goosechase app, which allows users to create and take part in unique interactive experiences. To play, participants should download the Goosechase app on their smartphones, and either create a free account or participate as a guest. They can find this new hunt by searching “Johnson County Hope Squad,” or using the code 6XXJE1.
On Sept. 10, the clues will emerge.
“It will be things that bring people together to have fun. We really wanted this to be light-hearted,” Thompson said. “A lot of the things don’t require travel. Some do, but a lot of them you can do in your neighborhood.”
Piggy-backing on the scavenger hunt is practical education aimed at preventing suicides. The coalition has planned three free Question, Persuade, Refer Gatekeeper trainings designed for any adult community member. Participants learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help.
“We’re hoping the Goosechase experience highlights those trainings too, and we get more people to participate,” Thompson said.
AT A GLANCE
The Johnson County Hope Squad Goosechase Experience
What: A self-paced app-based scavenger hunt spanning Johnson County. People are invited to create a team and complete missions together at your team’s pace that week. Teams who finish all missions will be entered into a random drawing to win a prize pack valued near $400.
Who: The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County, a Johnson County organization aiming to prevent suicide by mobilizing the community through education and use of resources to increase awareness and decrease stigma.
When: Sept. 10-16
How to play
1. Download the Goosechase iOS or Android app
2. Log in. New to Goosechase? Sign up for an account or participate as a guest.
3. Search for this experience by code code 6XXJE1 or name The Johnson County Hope Squad
4. Create a profile.
5. Set yourself apart with a name and photo, and have fun.
Visit the Suicide Prevention Coalition’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Hope4JohnsonCounty to learn more
AT A GLANCE
Question, Persuade, Refer Training
What: The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County will be hosting several free suicide prevention trainings known as Question, Persuade, Refer Gatekeeper trainings.
When:
Sept. 19, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Johnson County Public Library Franklin Branch community room
Sept. 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Johnson County Public Library Clark Pleasant Branch community room
Sept. 26, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Johnson County Public Library White River Branch community room
Registration is required due to limited seats at all trainings, and a link can be found at upstreamprevention.org/calendar
