I've always been someone who likes helping others, listening, giving advice. But once my son graduated high school (after homeschooling for 8 years), I decided to return to the work force to do something outside of the home that was for me. I chose to find a job that I wanted specifically. I found a position as a Residential Counselor with my local mental health provider in town. I worked there for about a year and a half - before transferring within the company to another position as a Mobile Crisis Service Provider. I worked within that company for 2.5 years. In the process of my transfer of roles within the company, the week I was supposed to transfer, my son turned 20 years old. He had struggled with his mental health for years. He attended appointments regularly and was on medication. He sought out crisis services, and even went to the ER in one town 2x, and then another ER he was taken to via ambulance when he called 911 with a loaded shotgun by his side. At the ER he was assessed and told he would have an inpatient bed, but he had COVID and needed to go home and quarantine and after his 10 day quarantine to come back to the ER and be reassessed and the bed would still be available for him. After his quarantine, he went back to the ER, was reassessed, informed they were just changing his meds and sent him home. Within a week, he committed suicide. I will never forgive the system for letting him down, or for letting me down. But what I will do, is use what happened to him and myself as a motivator to make a difference in as many lives as possible and to try to help save as many as I can. I know I can't save them all, but I will do my best. I will advocate for those who I need to or ask me to. I will work hard to help those who need my help. I've been trained to never work harder than your clients are willing to work. But, for those who are willing to put in the work with me, and work as a team with me; I will put my blood, sweat, and tears into helping anyone I come into contact with - regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, financials, etc. It doesn't matter to me - This may sound wrong, but it's how I see the world. Every human deserves to be treated the same, regardless of what's going on in their lives - even if they've committed a crime. They still deserve basic human rights, and deserve to be treated with respect, to be allowed the opportunities for health care and mental health services. I'll do my best to make a difference.