Anchored by art, Rhode Island site has received praise from professionals.
PROVIDENCE – Its creation took four years and involved input from many sources. And since it went live late last year, the new website for the Samaritans of Rhode Island has drawn praise for its welcoming appearance, resources, and links to help for those who live with mental health challenges or might be contemplating suicide. The site also offers guidance for caregivers.
Samaritans of Rhode Island executive director Denise Panichas told Ocean State Stories that the need for a revamped site was articulated in observations made by hotline volunteers and callers, families and those who have lost loved ones and friends, as well as individuals working in behavioral health and suicide reduction.
“People understood that the goal was to create a different kind of site for suicide-prevention education that incorporated things that bring some calmness,” she said. “And as I wrote in the press release, the idea was: ‘Could people pause just for a moment?’ Because that pause can be life-saving.”
Visitors to the site find what might best be described as a soothing look anchored by art and photography. Seascapes by famous artists, including “The Flirt, 1874” by Winslow Homer and “Narragansett Bay, 1864,” by William Stanley Haseltine, for example. Outdoor images by award-winning Pawtucket-based photographer Christy Christopoulos.
“The response I’m getting is that people are ‘getting’ the artwork that’s on there,” Panichas said. “I’ve even been in classrooms where the teachers start explaining to the students why the artwork is important and how it can calm people down. So I’m thrilled it’s getting there.”
Along with the art, the site offers an “About Suicide” page and a list of services including “Safe Place Grief Support,” “Teen Talk,” “Lifeline Prison Program” and the “Forget-Me-Not Gallery,” a center in Pawtucket where the Samaritans have partnered “with Rhode Island’s creative community to foster hope, inspiration and commemoration of the lives of our loved ones who have fallen victim to suicide.” The center, which opened in 2011 in Pawtucket’s historic Baker-Hanley House, was the inspiration for the artful look of the new site.
There is also a “Healthy Living Matters” page; a “Mindful Moments” page, with three National Gallery of Art videos intended to help reduce stress, and a page with links to local resources in all of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns.
A ribbon across the top of the home page has the phone numbers for a “24 Hour Crisis Hotline/Listening Line” and a drop-down menu that offers versions in not only English, but more than 100 other languages including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Haitian, Chinese, Italian, Khmer, Arabic and Western African. In an emergency, the ribbon urges visitors to call 911.
Mental health professionals contacted by Ocean State Stories spoke enthusiastically about the new website.
“The Samaritans have created a beautiful and useful website,” Lisa A. Uebelacker, Butler Hospital’s Director of Research, Co-Director of Butler’s Behavioral Medicine and Addictions Research Group, and Brown University professor wrote in an email.
“We need to spread the word that help is available for people who are thinking about suicide. I particularly like the resources for teens, parents, and teachers. The website provides advice to talk to someone you trust and even gives examples of ‘opening sentences’ for starting the conversation. Further, there is a list of reasons why talking to someone you trust may be helpful.”
Christine King, Senior Director of Integrated Care, Behavioral Health Team, at Wood River Health said: “The website is great and has many elements to share. I appreciate all the resources; the program descriptions and I love the invitation to pause with artistic imagery.
“As art can enhance our mind body connection, contributing to our overall well-being, highlighting this element on the website adds another layer or dimension to the Samaritans support offered on the site. The invitation and opportunity to view, sit with, and or reflect with the artistic pieces shared on the site, honors the importance of multidimensional healing and support.
“The Samaritans of Rhode Island offer support in many forms to appeal and heal to the many dimensions of our human experience. I will share this important resource with the Wood River Health community.”
“The Samaritans’ website is a trove of useful resources, but what’s truly special is that their hotline is not just for crises,” said Laurie-Marie Pisciotta, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island. “It’s for anyone who needs kindness, comfort or to talk through a difficult situation. This kind of support is sorely needed, especially when someone is faced with unexpected changes and loss in their lives.”
Nurse Nicole Coggins, a behavioral health specialist at WellOne, a healthcare provider with locations in Burrillville, Foster, Scituate and North Kingstown, joined the Samaritans board after several years in healthcare. Her comments about the site echoed those of Uebelacker and King.
“The Samaritans have created a beautiful space to take some time to be present, have a ‘Mindful Moment,’ learn about mental health, and connect within our community,” Coggins said. “That connectedness is so needed. In my professional life, a recurring complaint I hear from many of my patients is a sense of loneliness. The opportunity to call and speak to a real, caring person on the Samaritans hotline is vital connectedness so many Rhode Islander’s need.
“As a medical provider with deep roots in community health, I understand firsthand the gaps in our current healthcare system. The Samaritans, and the services the organization provides, are a trusted resource for every Rhode Islander.”
Panichas served as the project manager for the site and she was assisted by dozens of volunteers and professionals, including Donald King, former artistic director at the Providence Black Repertory Company, and Pablo Rodriques-Masjoan, a webmaster, Latino artist and community arts leader. Funding was provided by the Rhode Island Foundation, Ocean State Charities and other sources. The pandemic slowed progress, Panichas told Ocean State Stories.
In the November press release announcing the site, Panichas said: “To the best of my knowledge, there is no suicide prevention education website similar to ours in Rhode Island, the nation, and maybe even across the globe. Within an artistic setting, the website has local, state, and global resources…
“We know visitors will come to the website for their own reasons. We don’t judge. But we hope the inclusion of beautiful art will hopefully provide a soothing, visual experience that can offer a welcoming sense of comfort, inviting visitors to take a moment to pause, reflect, and practice mindfulness.
“This can provide a much-needed break from the chaos and help ground them in the present. Visiting the website also offers opportunities to inspire empowerment, personal growth, and new perspectives, helping visitors find strength and resilience within themselves.”
Panichas concluded: “Nothing we do at The Samaritans replaces professional medical and behavioral health care or, when needed, the anonymous, empathetic, kind listening ear of a Samaritan volunteer. But an online resource of artistic expression can resonate deeply, making visitors feel understood and less isolated in their struggles.”
According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, 120 lives in Rhode Island were lost to suicide in 2022, the latest year for which statistics were available. Of those, 82 were males and 38 were females. The majority for both genders was people age 55 to 64. White Non-Hispanic individuals accounted for 85% of all suicides from 2018 through 2022. The suicide death rate per 100,000 deaths was highest in Washington County, at 12.9%; the lowest was in Providence County, at 9.2%
The full report is available here.
Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
Call 988 if you are having thoughts of suicide or are in crisis. 988 is free, available 24/7, and confidential.
Other resources:
● BHLink: For confidential support and to get connected to care, call (401) 414-LINK (5465) or visit the BHLink 24-hour/7-day triage center at 975 Waterman Ave., East Providence. Website: bhlink.org
● The Samaritans of Rhode Island: (401) 272-4044 or (800) 365-4044. Website: samaritansri.org
● The Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 “from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.”
● Butler Hospital Behavioral Health Services Call Center: Available 24/7 “to guide individuals seeking advice for themselves or others regarding suicide prevention.” (844) 401-0111
