Empowering Tillamook County Through Prevention

At the Tillamook Family Counseling Center, we are committed to proactive behavioral health and wellness measures. The Prevention Program at the Tillamook Family Counseling Center, previously known as the SOS Tillamook Program, provides support to overcome and strengthen Tillamook County residents through prevention services. Our dedicated Prevention Specialist, Janeane Krongos, embodies this commitment wholeheartedly.

Janeane oversees the prevention program which is divided into 4 main parts that include underage substance use prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, and parent supports.

Prevention Trainings & Workshops:

Janeane is the point of contact for Tillamook County for underage substance use and problem gambling prevention. A portion of her role is funded by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) public health as the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention and Education Program coordinator (ADPEP) and the Health Systems Division as the Problem Gambling Prevention coordinator (each county has their own representation, and they work with a liaison from the OHA). For these roles Janeane raises awareness of prevention topics, provides prevention education, disseminates prevention information, plans alternate activities, and does community outreach.  

Another focus of the prevention program is suicide prevention. Janeane distributes suicide prevention information, provides suicide prevention training, and has written articles about suicide prevention. One suicide prevention service that we would like to highlight is the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is a suicide prevention training offered for free in both English and Spanish. Since fall of 2020, 300 individuals within the community have been trained in QPR, equipping them with the skills needed to identify the warning signs of suicide and question, persuade, and refer people at risk for suicide for help. Last year Angelica Ortiz (bilingual prevention specialist) joined the prevention department. She is now offering Spanish language QPR Trainings. So far, she has presented 3 training courses.

In addition, Janeane oversees parenting classes and workshops (Active Parenting series, Self-Care Workshop, etc.) with support from Melissa ‘Mis’ Carlson-Swanson, the parent education coordinator at TFCC (The Self-Care Workshop, a recurring event happening at least four times a year, emphasizes the importance of self-care and imparts practical strategies for parents to utilize, benefitting both themselves and their children. The Active Parenting Series, held twice each year, facilitates open dialogues between parents and adolescents, fostering understanding and mutual growth. The Active Parenting Program, a longstanding success, imparts practical parenting skills, encouraging flexibility while attending to a child’s needs. In addition to providing skills, these workshops provide a space for parents and families to connect and get support from others in the community.

Coming up on September 6th from 3:30-5:30PM at the Tillamook Bay Community College is the Painting for Self-Care Workshop. Community members who attend the event will have a chance to interact with other community members, paint art on an art canvas, and have opportunities to take home prevention information (underage substance use prevention, problem gambling prevention, suicide prevention, and parent supports). We hope to see you there!

Community Partnerships:

Janeane actively collaborates with the Tillamook Community Health Center, Jennifer Barksdale from the Prime+ Program, and contributes to county-wide prevention initiatives as co-chair of the health promotions committee with Tillamook County Wellness. She also serves as a co-chair of the Tillamook County Suicide Prevention Coalition alongside Amanda Ferrat, that began fall of 2021.

The Suicide Prevention Coalition is an important group in our community that meets monthly to join forces and make a real impact. One of the successful events put on by the coalition is an annual rock painting day at the Bay City Arts Center. This brings the community together to  paint messages of hope on the rocks, have opportunities to interact with coalition members, and raise awareness about suicide prevention resources.

Recently, the coalition was granted a $20,000 grant to further support prevention programs and resources. The coalition plans to host three mental health fairs throughout the county in May, recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month. The grant will also fund additional suicide prevention resources, such as training, books, and help with recertification costs. To expand upon the work, the coalition will also send select community members to the national suicide prevention conference. Finally, they will offer small grants to local organizations that will support further education in suicide prevention.

Getting to Know Janeane:

Janeane has been in the prevention field for many years. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Education with an emphasis in community health from Utah State University. She currently holds two prevention certifications that include Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Janeane stays up to date on current prevention best practices by attending various prevention conferences. One of things that Janeane shared she loves most about her work is engaging with community members, and sharing crucial information with those who might not be aware of various aspects of behavioral health and wellness. Prevention work is rooted in raising awareness about sensitive topics like addiction, suicide prevention, and problem gambling. Janeane shared that she likes to help normalize these conversations and help people to get access to resources.

Through partnerships, training, and empathetic leadership, TFCC’s prevention program reaches far and wide throughout the community, providing support to overcome and strengthen Tillamook County residents.

For more information about the prevention program follow SOS Tillamook on Facebook or email Jeaneane at janeanek@tfcc.org.

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