Because Someone Listened: How OhioRISE Walked with Us Through the Hardest Year of Our Lives
Our journey with OhioRise started in January of 2024 following my child’s first suicide attempt. We were blind-sided with this action and in a total state of crisis. Over the next 6 months we endured 10 hospitalization, multiple run aways and lots of ups and downs and OhioRise was there for it all. Planning, coordination and lending support in every way they could. Through safety plans, discharge meeting, finding opportunities to explore interest and way to express emotion they were there.
Each call or message reminded me I had support. As a parent, that meant the world—and for my child, it meant knowing his voice mattered.
Our next obstacle was residential. Our coordinator walked us through the process and divided a 4-page list of potential options in half and started calling. Eventually in June of 2024 our child found a residential 3 and a half hours from home and spent the next 5 months there. Our care coordinator at this time changed and while the residential was not what we expected our new coordinated (Trista Reckling) was so much more than what we could even dream of. She fought and advocated for mine and my child’s need to be met.
She built a bond with both of us and then helped me, and my child build one together. She made sure we had resources in place to visit our child and checked in with us both through the good and bad times. Trista was in my home shortly after my child was discharged in November of 2024 and she helped him to adjust to being back home. Trista kept my child on her case load long after she took a management position. She researched and provided resource for every obstacle we faced and once she had to transition him to a new coordinator, she handpicked Katlyn Hendrickson.
Trista could not have picked a better person to go forward with us. Katlyn helped provide support in February when my child had a major knee surgery utilizing his flex funds to keep him entertained and of a positive spirit. More recently my child found out that he is not the father of a one-year-old. The first person he wanted to tell was Trista and Katlyn.
OhioRise has supported and advocated for us in ways I can’t even put in to words and there is no doubt in my body that my child would not be celebrating 5 months out of residential with only one acute stay, he would not be preparing for his 18th birthday and looking for his first job, he would not be free of the weight of questioning where or not he is the father of a child, he would not have strong bond with his care team and know where to go and what to do when things get rough.
“Ohio rise has changed our lives for the best and we could not be more thankful!”
Who may benefit from OhioRISE?
OhioRISE serves young people who are dealing with behavioral health challenges. These children/youth may need extra support and could be at risk for out-of-home placement or deeper system involvement
