When Eryn Leahy and Tara Nichols talk about mental health, they don't speak like government employees checking off another project.
They finish each other's thoughts. They laugh easily. They interrupt one another with stories. Then, almost without noticing, they drift into conversations about suicide prevention, addiction, housing, veterans, transportation, schools, and recovery.
"We're just very passionate about it," Says Nichols with a smile, "This isn't just our job. It's something we really care about."
As co-chairs of the Monroe County Suicide Prevention Task Force, the pair spend much of the year working with county departments, health care providers, schools, law enforcement, veterans organizations and community nonprofits to improve access to mental health resources while encouraging residents to have conversations that, for many years, were often avoided.
"We just have to start talking about this," Nichols said. "We have to get resources out to people."
Working to prevent crisis before it begins
The Monroe County Suicide Prevention Task Force was formed to bring together community partners around a common goal: reducing suicide and improving mental wellness throughout the county. The task force includes representatives from public health, human services, health care, education, law enforcement, veterans services, and community organizations who work together to provide education, raise awareness, conduct training, and connect residents with local resources.
Co-chairs Leahy and Nichols said the group's mission extends well beyond responding to people in crisis.
"We're trying to build a healthier community," said Leahy, "Suicide prevention starts long before someone reaches a breaking point."
"Mental wellness isn't just counseling. It's housing, it's recovery, it's nutrition, it's connection," said Nichols.
The task force promotes evidence-based suicide prevention training, distributes mental health resource guides, raises awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and encourages residents to recognize warning signs and seek help early. Throughout the year, members partner with other community groups to host educational events and support initiatives to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
For Leahy and Nichols, the yearly Mental Wellness Fair is simply the public face of a year-round effort.
"We want people to know they don't have to wait until they're in crisis," Leahy said. "There are resources available, and there are people in Monroe County who want to help. Prevention is about making sure people know where to go before they're in crisis."
Rural communities face different challenges.
Mental health affects every community, but Monroe County faces challenges that differ from those of larger cities.
Transportation can make it difficult to reach appointments. Finding providers can involve lengthy wait times. Some specialized services remain outside the county, while many residents are reluctant to seek help because of the stigma that still surrounds mental illness.
"Living in a rural community shouldn't determine whether you can get help," Leahy said.
In a small community, people can often worry about who might see them as they walk into a counselor's office.
Leahy and Nichols believe telehealth has helped reduce some of those barriers by allowing people to connect with counselors from the comfort of their own homes. Still, they acknowledge that access to care remains an ongoing challenge.
A misconception they hear regularly is that there are few resources available locally.
In reality, Monroe County has a growing network of agencies working together to provide support, including behavioral health providers, recovery organizations, crisis services, veteran programs, domestic violence advocates, housing organizations and peer support groups.
"The pathways to healing look different for every person," Nichols said. "It's not just counseling. There are many different ways people can find support."
Different paths to healing
One misconception Leahy and Nichols hear regularly is that mental health care begins and ends with a counselor's office.
In reality, they say, healing can take many forms.
For some people, the first step may be meeting with a therapist. Others find support through a recovery program, a peer support group, help finding stable housing, improved nutrition, or simply connecting with others who understand what they are experiencing.
"The pathways to healing look different for every person," Nichols said. "It's not just counseling. There are many different ways people can find support."
That philosophy is reflected in the Mental Wellness Fair, which was organized around the Eight Dimensions of Wellness—emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, physical, intellectual and environmental wellness. The event brought together organizations ranging from behavioral health providers and addiction recovery groups to veterans services, domestic violence advocates, housing organizations and nutrition programs, all to show residents there are many ways to improve their overall well-being.
Although the Mental Wellness Fair happens once per year, Leahy and Nichols say the task force's mission continues every day.
They hope that residents remember one message above all else.
No matter someone's age, occupation, or circumstances, help is available, and no one has to struggle alone.
For them, the fair was never intended to solve Monroe County's mental health challenges in a single afternoon.
It was designed to start conversations they hope will continue throughout the year.
Breaking down barriers
Leahy and Nichols say reducing stigma remains one of the task force's biggest priorities.
Farmers, veterans, Spanish-speaking residents, people involved in the criminal justice system, and individuals struggling with substance use often face unique barriers when seeking help. Many people wait until they are already in crisis before asking for assistance.
The task force hopes to change that by making conversations about mental health more common throughout the community.
One encouraging change, Leahy and Nichols say, has come since the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the pandemic brought significant hardship, it also made discussions about anxiety, isolation, and emotional well-being far more common than they had been previously.
"The one good thing that came out of COVID is people are more willing to talk about mental health," Leahy said, "People realized they weren't the only ones struggling."
Working together
Perhaps the biggest change they have witnessed in recent years has been collaboration.
Rather than agencies working independently, Leahy and Nichols say county departments, health care providers, schools, law enforcement, nonprofits and community organizations increasingly work together to connect people with services before problems escalate.
That collaboration extends beyond mental illness to issues such as substance abuse, housing instability and suicide prevention.
Be the Light Walk/Run
The Monroe County Suicide Prevention Task Force will host its 3rd annual Be the Light Walk/Run Saturday, September 12 at Winnebago Park, 1020 Brandon St., Tomah.
The event brings community members together to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental health. Organizers say the event honors lives affected by suicide while promoting hope, connection, and access to local resources. "We want people to see that Monroe County stands together when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention," said Nichols.
The Monroe County Suicide Prevention Task Force is inviting those who have lost a loved one to set up a memorial along the race route. The Task force will provide a name card and pallet backdrop. If interested in setting up a memorial or wanting to find out more on how to support the task force's education, outreach, and suicide prevention efforts throughout Monroe County please email mcsptf@co.monroe.wi.us. Register for the event here https://exploremonroecounty.ticketspice.com/be-the-light-run-walk-2026.
Prevention
"Suicide prevention begins long before a crisis. It begins by building a community where people feel connected, supported, and know where to turn for help," said Leahy.
That belief continues to guide the Monroe County Suicide Prevention Task Force throughout the year, as members work to strengthen partnerships, reduce stigma, and make sure no one in Monroe County has to face mental health challenges alone.
"If one person leaves knowing they aren't alone, we've accomplished something," said Leahy.
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