May 1, 2026 • 21 mins
En este episodio, Orlando Mix conversa con el equipo del Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Mental Health Task Force — Major Trakida Maldonado, LT Matthew Stoner y CPL Sang Jo — sobre un tema muy importante para nuestra comunidad: la salud mental.
Hablamos sobre los retos que enfrentan muchas personas, la importancia de buscar ayuda y cómo juntos podemos romper el estigma que existe alrededor de la salud mental.
También compartieron detalles sobre su próximo evento comunitario:
Community Mental Health Awareness Fair: Breaking the Stigma
Un evento interactivo y familiar donde podrás conectarte con organizaciones locales de salud mental, hablar con profesionales, obtener recursos importantes y disfrutar de actividades para todas las edades.
📍 Lugar: Alexander Park | Lois Lane Allen Pavilion #4
800 Old Snellville Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
Miembros del Mental Health Task Force y profesionales estarán presentes brindando información, apoyo y herramientas para nuestra comunidad.
Este es un episodio importante que puede marcar la diferencia — para ti, tu familia o alguien que conoces.
Escúchalo y compártelo 💚
Hablamos sobre los retos que enfrentan muchas personas, la importancia de buscar ayuda y cómo juntos podemos romper el estigma que existe alrededor de la salud mental.
También compartieron detalles sobre su próximo evento comunitario:
Community Mental Health Awareness Fair: Breaking the Stigma
Un evento interactivo y familiar donde podrás conectarte con organizaciones locales de salud mental, hablar con profesionales, obtener recursos importantes y disfrutar de actividades para todas las edades.
📍 Lugar: Alexander Park | Lois Lane Allen Pavilion #4
800 Old Snellville Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
Miembros del Mental Health Task Force y profesionales estarán presentes brindando información, apoyo y herramientas para nuestra comunidad.
Este es un episodio importante que puede marcar la diferencia — para ti, tu familia o alguien que conoces.
Escúchalo y compártelo 💚
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Somos hits the podcast in a like heart radio app
on the podcast is a t l m B Wolando.
The podcast case a la No mo a Comuni again English.
(00:36):
We're gonna talk English, We're gonna mix it up, but
I can. I want to introduce this great, great team
that we have here. I've had the opportunity of meeting
them before. We work with them in many, many different
occasions for different events, and I'm happy to have them
(00:57):
once again in our iHeart Studios here and seta patron
and obviously for our podcast at l m B. Well,
so I'm going to introduce everybody first and then we'll
jump right into it, you know, because I think this
is an important subject and important event that's going to
be happening in Gwinnett County, and nonetheless it's important to
bring this awareness to the community. So I have with
(01:19):
me Major Traquita Maldonado. Major, how are you. I'm happy
to see you again. Two years we're talking about.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It right, Absolutely good to see you again.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
It's been a while, but I'm super super excited of
having this great conversation with you about you know, mental health.
Also to your side, we have corporal sang Joe, Corporal,
how are you.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I'm doing fine. Thank you very much for having us.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Happy, Happy for you guys to also be here. And
to the side of him, we have Lieutenant Matthew Stoner.
Lieutenant how are.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
You very good? Very good, pleasure meeting.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Well, let's get the party started. This is important. I
think this is an important subject that our community needs awareness.
It's it's one of those subjects that don't really you know,
get touched a lot in the Hispanic community, and it
you know, it ends up being something that affects, you know,
the entire family, and it's an important and important subject.
You know, it's it's mental health major. First of all,
(02:12):
what what got you in this initiative? Because I know
this isn't your your first rodeo doing this this event,
But what got you into wanting to do this community
you know, mental health awareness fair and what brought you
to to what we're doing now?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Absolutely so again thank you for having us today. For me,
it is more of a community uh stigma when we
talk about mental health, and so having these type of
events let the community know what's actually available. So we
invite different partners to come out, just individuals that's in
the community that offer anything that's related to mental health.
(02:47):
So with that being said, you know, you meet a
lot of individuals they're like, well, I don't know who
to call or what to do. I am a licensed
therapist as well, so I've seen the need in our
community for just knowing what's available, you know, So what
we do if we don't know, we don't know who
to call, who do we contact? So I think an
event like this it kind of opens those doors. We
(03:07):
have free food, which is always a good reason to
come out DJ and lots of giveaways. So just recognizing
the need and wanting people to come out so major.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
You know, I really appreciate you, you know, especially touching on that,
on that subject that's not really talked about, and I
want to you know, kind of hyper focus on our community,
on the Hispanic community that's listening to this podcast. You know,
what need have you seen specifically? Obviously you work in
the Gwyneth County, but this is an invitation for everybody,
not just in Gwinney County, but everybody around the surrounding
(03:38):
counties to come in. What need have you seen out there?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
So that's a great one. It's no matter what county
you're in, we're having this event. Most of what I
am seeing is there is a lot of individuals who
struggle with family members who possibly have mental health issues.
What we see a lot more of you have your
depressive disorders typically it depends on the time of year.
Of course, you have bipolar disorders and different disorders that
(04:02):
people are not familiar with what to do. So you
have this family member and they haven't showered in a
week or two, and you're not sure what's going on.
Who do I call? So just that need and a
sense of knowing and understanding what mental health is and
breaking that stigma, because the stigma that's associated with make
a lot of people embarrassed, and there is help out there,
(04:25):
and so just having an event that individuals can see, hey,
this is what's out here, I know who to call.
We even have individuals that work in children's care to
come out and say this is what we offer. I
think counseling. You know again, I am a therapist, So
especially for our anolescents is very very important. So parents
getting to meet different individuals that offer those services, and
(04:48):
so they have that opportunity to say, maybe I'll put
my child in therapy, so they have someone that they
can confide in. Because our kids tell us what they
want to tell us, but if they have somebody that
they actually can confide in, it makes a huge difference.
I think therapy is really imperative for especially how young
adults growing up.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
I like that, and you know, moving the question along,
you know, talking about this, you know, I want to
I want to ask corporal saying Joe a question. So, corporal,
you know you're in the front line, you know, and
and also you lieutenant, you know, Stoner, what are you
seeing in the community as you know, being in the
front line that that you feel that this is an
event that can really bring our community together.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Well, you were talking about how this affects the Hispanic community,
and one of the things that that we found is
that the a lot of the immigrant populations in the
county are underserved, and I think a lot of it
is because people just don't know, like the major was saying,
they don't know that those resources are available, or maybe
(05:46):
they're embarrassed or afraid to reach out, but either way,
they are not aware that there are specific resources that
cater to them, like we have at least two or
three pretty significant UH programs in the county that are
Spanish language primarily and serve the Hispanic community. So they're
(06:12):
ready to help people. But a lot of times, you know,
they have resources, they're ready to help people, but they
can't get that help out to the people because there's
no one reaching out to them.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
There's no outreach to awareness yea.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
And they'll they'll do their part, and and one of
the ways they do it is by participating in these
types of events where they come out and they're just
trying to get their name out there so that people
are aware that they even exist.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
So you know, back to you major, you know what
kind of different institutions or or or or community partners
are going to be there specifically at this event. I
want to remind people that's going to be the community
Mental Health Awareness Fair. It's like she's saying, breaking the Stigma.
I think that's a great title for this. It's Saturday,
(06:56):
May ninth, MAYO is that I'm okay? From ten am
to two pm at Alexander Park, Loise Lane, Allen Pavilion
number four, eight hundred Old Snellville Highway, Lawrenceville, Georgia, three
zero zero four to four, or you could go on
Guenette County Sheriff's Office Instagram and you could get also
all the information there. Major I think, you know, back
(07:20):
to the question, what kind of different organizations can we
find there that you know, like Corporate was saying, that'll
be there present, that can actually you know, connect with
our Hispanic community, that might you know, benefit those families
that are going through specific needs.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Absolutely so, right now, I know we have about twenty
five different partners that's coming out. Corporal Joe here has
been keeping up with that list for me and so
he can elaborate a little bit more on that for me.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I can speak to that. We have general vendors that
are going to be there for to kind of we
understand that to generate interest, we're going to have to
kind of be inclusive for the general public. So we
have people like Chick fil A, We have City Barbecue,
we have Starbucks, some other vendors that are just gonna
(08:10):
be there to provide uh, you know, food and refreshments
and things like that. Free food. We're not selling anything.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
But specific to the mental health part of it, we have,
uh we have several treatment facilities uh that are that
operate in inside of Gwinnett. We also have specific to
the Hispanic community vendors such as Surf Familia, the Latin
(08:38):
American Association, and then there's there's at least one more.
I'm the name escapes me at this moment, but I
visited all these places just to kind of let them
know that and we're having the event and to invite
them to it. And I was surprised at how some
of these vendors have not just one type of resource
(09:00):
like housing or something like that, but they would they have.
It's they're very uh broad ranging as far as their services.
They can they can provide you know, temporary like housing,
but they can also provide you know, food, they can
provide job placement sometimes. So there's all types of things
(09:22):
that are available, and it just seems like a lot
of that stuff is kind of sitting there waiting for
somebody to help.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
You're absolutely right. Yeah, in corporal, I've had the opportunity
to go a couple of times to the LAA or
the Latin American Association as you as you mentioned, and
you're absolutely right. I mean you go in there and
it's like a mall of different things I mean they
got everything from activities for the moms, you know, that food.
I mean, they do so many things for the community,
(09:50):
and I'm super happy to hear that they're going to
be part of this this great event.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Also, and maybe Lieutenant you could talk a little more
about this, Lieutenant Stoner, that's that's with us. Also, Lieutenant,
what are you seeing in the jails that could avoid
a lot of those, you know, situations of people obviously
getting confined or being locked up because of mental health issues.
What are you seeing out there in the community.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Well, you know, I see that the Mental Health Task
Force is definitely part of the solution for that. When
I got involved in this business, it was quite obvious
that the mental health population, folks that had had a
mental health issue, instead of getting the help that they needed,
they were getting funneled into the criminal justice system.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
And Sheriff Taylor when he got elected, he promised to
start this task force, and we're there to mitigate this,
to help make sure that people are not being just
funneled and recycled right back into the jail when what
they really need is help. So we make connections, we
(10:55):
make we network, we find these resources for people that
they're not being served.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
And and that's that's I think super important. I've had
this conversation directly with with sheriff and and I think
it's important because you know, there's certain families that go through,
you know, generational things where they're you know, they're put
in in the situation because they're grown up in this
in this household where you know, it's it's criminal, it's
it's violent, it's you know a lot of mental stuff
(11:25):
going on, and it's just just repetition, repetition, repetition, and
there finally needs to be that breaking point where one
family member says enough is enough, and and and let's
you know, stop being that stigma. Let's use that word
of being locked up in jail over something that could
have been easily avoided through you know, through a process
of attending something as simple as as this event that
(11:46):
you guys are doing. This could open the doors for
so many other opportunities for those families, so major. You know,
if you could, if you could tell the Hispanic community
something about what what they can expect of this event is,
you know, it's a little bit of everything, right, It's
it's community time, and it's meeting other people. That's you know,
learning more about you know, the different services that are
available to these communities and sometimes even free right.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Absolutely, and I want to elaborate a little bit where
we are law enforcement, right so we know sometimes that
can be a little scary, but our job, in our
role in this position is to help individuals. We want
to reduce the recidivism in our jail. What we try
to do is we try to follow up with individuals
that have been put in our facility that have mental
(12:29):
health to make sure that they're going to their appointments,
letting them know what's actually available, Letting the families know
you can contact us before there's a crisis, to avoid
this situation being so out of control. And now nine
to one has been called in, this individual has committed
a crime and now they end up in our system.
So our goal, our primary goal, is to reduce that
(12:49):
from happening. And so families understanding that although this is
Gennette County Sheriff's Office, we have the role to help
the community and understanding mental health and we do not
want these individuals to end up in our jails. We
want to avoid that and if we can help in
any way far as resources for housing, you know, we
talk about food, there's clothing banks, there are even you know,
(13:12):
mobile homes that come out to do baths and things
of that nature for individuals. We go out to our
homeless population and give food and you know, just different
things of that nature. So I think it's important to
know that although we are law enforcement, our role is
to definitely reduce recidivism and help individuals in our community.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I like that in corporal if there's anybody that's listening
to this podcast that has a nonprofit organization or something
that relates to this type of things that maybe, you know,
maybe right now is a little too late because we're
going on to this on May ninth, or we might
still be on time, But how can they get involved
with with the community and how can they reach out
to you guys if they really have interesting in helping
(13:53):
out this community.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Well, you know, they can reach out through our website,
and I believe we are Our email is GCSO. Is
it GCSO mental health dot com dot Gwennette County dot com.
In any case, just go to the main website and
then you can follow the links to our Mental Health
(14:14):
Task Force section of it. But you don't have to
be at this event in order to want to be involved.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Right.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
One of the things about this event is we're trying
to build community. So we're trying to get people who
have resources but may not have all the resources and
somebody comes up to them and they say, I need
this help. Well, I don't provide that service, but now
I know somebody who does provide that service. I met
them the other day. And we always want to meet
(14:42):
people who can tell us about resources or can provide
those resources, and then that's our job as well. One
of our jobs is to kind of facilitate that happening
with other people, and then we will also call them
when we need help, and then we go to help
them when they need help. It's none of this stuff
works in isolation. If we all kind of work in
(15:05):
our own little bubble right right, our own little bubble,
we're not really going to accomplish much.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
But it's part of why we're here today talking about
it because we have to have awareness. People have to
know that we even exist, and then maybe that gets
interest and then they come to us and or you know,
we find them and we you know, bring people together
and in doing that and in kind of building that community,
I think we can accomplish a lot more than we
could by ourselves.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
And I want to add to that to say, even
if they're not vendors, still come out if they have
their information, their brochures, their cards, come out, meet the
other individuals that's there. Like he said, partner with them.
We'll have their information so we can still pass along
because we keep a list of you know, nonprofits in
the community and what they offer, so we would be
(15:54):
delighted to still have them come out and share that information.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
One hundred percent. So again and the reminder for everybody
that's that's listening to this to this podcast right now,
this is a great event that I feel that the
community should be involved with. We went to watt Placamunia
Community Mental Health Awareness Fair Breaking the Stigma Saturday, May ninth,
from ten am to two pm Alexander Park at eight
hundred Old Snailville Highway in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Major This is
(16:21):
this is an event that I really, you know, hold
dear to me, you know, and I'm going to open
up to you guys. I deal with mental health myself,
you know, and I know sometimes it's hard to want
to admit it. But I think the more you talk
about it, the better it is, you know, the better
healing you get out of it. I deal with mental health,
you know, just from a tragedy that I never thought
(16:44):
I would go through, you know, of losing somebody at
an early age, and that triggered, you know, anxiety. And
I've been dealing with it on and off for many years,
and it's been off for the past five six, seven years,
and it just turned on a couple of months ago,
you know, and it's it's how to cope with it,
how to deal with it, but also how to find
(17:04):
other community members and get involved with these organizations and
share your story to empower other people that might feel that,
you know, Oh, I feel uncomfortable talking about it, you know.
I think it's important, you know, And I've always told myself,
you know, having the power of the microphone is not
just entertain people, but it's also to inform people and
(17:26):
communicate to people things that sometimes are little, you know,
I don't want to say gray, but just they're more
personal to you. But I think that if you open
up to the community and you let them know how
you feel, it's a way of you healing too, you know.
And I think that mental health is that is finding
ways of helping each other out when you're dealing with situations,
(17:48):
and not every person situation is the same, but there's
something that does correlate, which is it's something that you're
dealing with and there is help, and there is and
there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
You know.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Sometimes I've heard of people, you know, committing suicide, which
is the worse of it.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
You know.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I've heard people that have taken matters into their own hands,
have gotten aggressive and done things that probably in their
right state of mind would have never done, but it's
because they never reached out, you know. So I really
think that this type of event, you know, it's something
that is needed, and I really appreciate you guys, you know,
as a mental task force for the Gwyne County Sheriff's
Office taking the upper hand of doing this because you
(18:26):
don't really see a lot of other you know, police
departments or sheriff departments, you know, really digging in to
the community and trying to better the Like you were
talking about the jail system, you know, you have these
repetitive cases of people going in and out of the system,
in and out of the system, and there's no help
for them. They're just they're booked, they're there for their time,
(18:48):
they're out, they commit the same crime, it's tied to
the same thing, mental health, and they're right back in
the system. But you guys are trying to follow up
with them. And I think that's admirable to have that
in the county, and I think that should hopefully spread
throughout the state that there's help out there now.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Absolutely absolutely, and thank you for sharing your story. I
think that's very important as well, understanding that we all
know someone has dealt with something that's related to mental
health at some point. Right I have a nephew who
has had several mental health episodes, and what's alarming for
me was recognizing when the time happened. Of course there's
another state. Who do you call? Where do we go?
(19:26):
And so that was really the driving point to say,
we need to make sure and when that county that
we make a difference in that area, because it was
very unfortunate when you don't know who to call and
you have a young man who's eighteen nineteen years old
and typically as a great individual but here you are
having a psychotic break and no one knows who to
call or what to do right and so what we
(19:47):
typically do as people we call nine one one, and
individuals end up in the jail and that's not where
they belong. So we're trying to get that word out,
breaking that stigma. Contacts, see how we can help. Let's
get this taken care of, where individuals are not in
a justice system that they don't need to be in.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
That's it. Well, this is a great event community Mental
Health Awareness Fair. Again. The date is Saturday, May ninth,
ten am to two pm, Alexander Park, eight hundred Old
Snailville Highway. I'll leave obviously all the information also on
our on our podcast description so you could check this out.
And again, I just want to thank all three of
(20:28):
you guys for being part of this task force. I
think it's important. I imagine that each of you were
brought into this, you know, for for your own you know,
reasons of wanting to help the community. So again, Lieutenant
want to thank you for being being in the studio
and talking a little bit about what's going on and
inside of the inside of the jail and and what's
going on inside of the you know, when people are confined,
(20:52):
they're they're they're they're put in a hard situation, you know,
and and sometimes you know, there's help out there and
they just don't go or they're not advised and they
just end up there. So I appreciate you giving that perspective.
Corporal also, you know for being involved with the community,
looking for those nonprofit organizations, those those vendors that are
that are looking to help out the community. And obviously
(21:13):
you major for for always having the time to come
in and speak about these you know, I want to
call it sensitive subjects because they are to an extent,
it's a sensitive subject, but it needs to be talked about.
And like you say, you know, breaking the stigma. I
think this is a great title for this event. And
I'm going to try my very very best to be
there because you know, it's something that that that I
hold dear to to so I think I would I
(21:33):
would love to at least show up, you know, and
be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
We would be delighted to have you, and again I
hope that we can have more conversations around breaking the
stigma and how we can help our community. So thank
you again, no.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Thank You so Much. Podcast podcast at a t l
m B
Somos hits the podcast in a like heart radio app
on the podcast is a t l m B Wolando.
The podcast case a la No mo a Comuni again English.
(00:36):
We're gonna talk English, We're gonna mix it up, but
I can. I want to introduce this great, great team
that we have here. I've had the opportunity of meeting
them before. We work with them in many, many different
occasions for different events, and I'm happy to have them
(00:57):
once again in our iHeart Studios here and seta patron
and obviously for our podcast at l m B. Well,
so I'm going to introduce everybody first and then we'll
jump right into it, you know, because I think this
is an important subject and important event that's going to
be happening in Gwinnett County, and nonetheless it's important to
bring this awareness to the community. So I have with
(01:19):
me Major Traquita Maldonado. Major, how are you. I'm happy
to see you again. Two years we're talking about.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It right, Absolutely good to see you again.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
It's been a while, but I'm super super excited of
having this great conversation with you about you know, mental health.
Also to your side, we have corporal sang Joe, Corporal,
how are you.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I'm doing fine. Thank you very much for having us.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Happy, Happy for you guys to also be here. And
to the side of him, we have Lieutenant Matthew Stoner.
Lieutenant how are.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
You very good? Very good, pleasure meeting.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Well, let's get the party started. This is important. I
think this is an important subject that our community needs awareness.
It's it's one of those subjects that don't really you know,
get touched a lot in the Hispanic community, and it
you know, it ends up being something that affects, you know,
the entire family, and it's an important and important subject.
You know, it's it's mental health major. First of all,
(02:12):
what what got you in this initiative? Because I know
this isn't your your first rodeo doing this this event,
But what got you into wanting to do this community
you know, mental health awareness fair and what brought you
to to what we're doing now?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Absolutely so again thank you for having us today. For me,
it is more of a community uh stigma when we
talk about mental health, and so having these type of
events let the community know what's actually available. So we
invite different partners to come out, just individuals that's in
the community that offer anything that's related to mental health.
(02:47):
So with that being said, you know, you meet a
lot of individuals they're like, well, I don't know who
to call or what to do. I am a licensed
therapist as well, so I've seen the need in our
community for just knowing what's available, you know, So what
we do if we don't know, we don't know who
to call, who do we contact? So I think an
event like this it kind of opens those doors. We
(03:07):
have free food, which is always a good reason to
come out DJ and lots of giveaways. So just recognizing
the need and wanting people to come out so major.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
You know, I really appreciate you, you know, especially touching on that,
on that subject that's not really talked about, and I
want to you know, kind of hyper focus on our community,
on the Hispanic community that's listening to this podcast. You know,
what need have you seen specifically? Obviously you work in
the Gwyneth County, but this is an invitation for everybody,
not just in Gwinney County, but everybody around the surrounding
(03:38):
counties to come in. What need have you seen out there?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
So that's a great one. It's no matter what county
you're in, we're having this event. Most of what I
am seeing is there is a lot of individuals who
struggle with family members who possibly have mental health issues.
What we see a lot more of you have your
depressive disorders typically it depends on the time of year.
Of course, you have bipolar disorders and different disorders that
(04:02):
people are not familiar with what to do. So you
have this family member and they haven't showered in a
week or two, and you're not sure what's going on.
Who do I call? So just that need and a
sense of knowing and understanding what mental health is and
breaking that stigma, because the stigma that's associated with make
a lot of people embarrassed, and there is help out there,
(04:25):
and so just having an event that individuals can see, hey,
this is what's out here, I know who to call.
We even have individuals that work in children's care to
come out and say this is what we offer. I
think counseling. You know again, I am a therapist, So
especially for our anolescents is very very important. So parents
getting to meet different individuals that offer those services, and
(04:48):
so they have that opportunity to say, maybe I'll put
my child in therapy, so they have someone that they
can confide in. Because our kids tell us what they
want to tell us, but if they have somebody that
they actually can confide in, it makes a huge difference.
I think therapy is really imperative for especially how young
adults growing up.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
I like that, and you know, moving the question along,
you know, talking about this, you know, I want to
I want to ask corporal saying Joe a question. So, corporal,
you know you're in the front line, you know, and
and also you lieutenant, you know, Stoner, what are you
seeing in the community as you know, being in the
front line that that you feel that this is an
event that can really bring our community together.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Well, you were talking about how this affects the Hispanic community,
and one of the things that that we found is
that the a lot of the immigrant populations in the
county are underserved, and I think a lot of it
is because people just don't know, like the major was saying,
they don't know that those resources are available, or maybe
(05:46):
they're embarrassed or afraid to reach out, but either way,
they are not aware that there are specific resources that
cater to them, like we have at least two or
three pretty significant UH programs in the county that are
Spanish language primarily and serve the Hispanic community. So they're
(06:12):
ready to help people. But a lot of times, you know,
they have resources, they're ready to help people, but they
can't get that help out to the people because there's
no one reaching out to them.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
There's no outreach to awareness yea.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
And they'll they'll do their part, and and one of
the ways they do it is by participating in these
types of events where they come out and they're just
trying to get their name out there so that people
are aware that they even exist.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
So you know, back to you major, you know what
kind of different institutions or or or or community partners
are going to be there specifically at this event. I
want to remind people that's going to be the community
Mental Health Awareness Fair. It's like she's saying, breaking the Stigma.
I think that's a great title for this. It's Saturday,
(06:56):
May ninth, MAYO is that I'm okay? From ten am
to two pm at Alexander Park, Loise Lane, Allen Pavilion
number four, eight hundred Old Snellville Highway, Lawrenceville, Georgia, three
zero zero four to four, or you could go on
Guenette County Sheriff's Office Instagram and you could get also
all the information there. Major I think, you know, back
(07:20):
to the question, what kind of different organizations can we
find there that you know, like Corporate was saying, that'll
be there present, that can actually you know, connect with
our Hispanic community, that might you know, benefit those families
that are going through specific needs.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Absolutely so, right now, I know we have about twenty
five different partners that's coming out. Corporal Joe here has
been keeping up with that list for me and so
he can elaborate a little bit more on that for me.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I can speak to that. We have general vendors that
are going to be there for to kind of we
understand that to generate interest, we're going to have to
kind of be inclusive for the general public. So we
have people like Chick fil A, We have City Barbecue,
we have Starbucks, some other vendors that are just gonna
(08:10):
be there to provide uh, you know, food and refreshments
and things like that. Free food. We're not selling anything.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
But specific to the mental health part of it, we have,
uh we have several treatment facilities uh that are that
operate in inside of Gwinnett. We also have specific to
the Hispanic community vendors such as Surf Familia, the Latin
(08:38):
American Association, and then there's there's at least one more.
I'm the name escapes me at this moment, but I
visited all these places just to kind of let them
know that and we're having the event and to invite
them to it. And I was surprised at how some
of these vendors have not just one type of resource
(09:00):
like housing or something like that, but they would they have.
It's they're very uh broad ranging as far as their services.
They can they can provide you know, temporary like housing,
but they can also provide you know, food, they can
provide job placement sometimes. So there's all types of things
(09:22):
that are available, and it just seems like a lot
of that stuff is kind of sitting there waiting for
somebody to help.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
You're absolutely right. Yeah, in corporal, I've had the opportunity
to go a couple of times to the LAA or
the Latin American Association as you as you mentioned, and
you're absolutely right. I mean you go in there and
it's like a mall of different things I mean they
got everything from activities for the moms, you know, that food.
I mean, they do so many things for the community,
(09:50):
and I'm super happy to hear that they're going to
be part of this this great event.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Also, and maybe Lieutenant you could talk a little more
about this, Lieutenant Stoner, that's that's with us. Also, Lieutenant,
what are you seeing in the jails that could avoid
a lot of those, you know, situations of people obviously
getting confined or being locked up because of mental health issues.
What are you seeing out there in the community.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Well, you know, I see that the Mental Health Task
Force is definitely part of the solution for that. When
I got involved in this business, it was quite obvious
that the mental health population, folks that had had a
mental health issue, instead of getting the help that they needed,
they were getting funneled into the criminal justice system.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
And Sheriff Taylor when he got elected, he promised to
start this task force, and we're there to mitigate this,
to help make sure that people are not being just
funneled and recycled right back into the jail when what
they really need is help. So we make connections, we
(10:55):
make we network, we find these resources for people that
they're not being served.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
And and that's that's I think super important. I've had
this conversation directly with with sheriff and and I think
it's important because you know, there's certain families that go through,
you know, generational things where they're you know, they're put
in in the situation because they're grown up in this
in this household where you know, it's it's criminal, it's
it's violent, it's you know a lot of mental stuff
(11:25):
going on, and it's just just repetition, repetition, repetition, and
there finally needs to be that breaking point where one
family member says enough is enough, and and and let's
you know, stop being that stigma. Let's use that word
of being locked up in jail over something that could
have been easily avoided through you know, through a process
of attending something as simple as as this event that
(11:46):
you guys are doing. This could open the doors for
so many other opportunities for those families, so major. You know,
if you could, if you could tell the Hispanic community
something about what what they can expect of this event is,
you know, it's a little bit of everything, right, It's
it's community time, and it's meeting other people. That's you know,
learning more about you know, the different services that are
available to these communities and sometimes even free right.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Absolutely, and I want to elaborate a little bit where
we are law enforcement, right so we know sometimes that
can be a little scary, but our job, in our
role in this position is to help individuals. We want
to reduce the recidivism in our jail. What we try
to do is we try to follow up with individuals
that have been put in our facility that have mental
(12:29):
health to make sure that they're going to their appointments,
letting them know what's actually available, Letting the families know
you can contact us before there's a crisis, to avoid
this situation being so out of control. And now nine
to one has been called in, this individual has committed
a crime and now they end up in our system.
So our goal, our primary goal, is to reduce that
(12:49):
from happening. And so families understanding that although this is
Gennette County Sheriff's Office, we have the role to help
the community and understanding mental health and we do not
want these individuals to end up in our jails. We
want to avoid that and if we can help in
any way far as resources for housing, you know, we
talk about food, there's clothing banks, there are even you know,
(13:12):
mobile homes that come out to do baths and things
of that nature for individuals. We go out to our
homeless population and give food and you know, just different
things of that nature. So I think it's important to
know that although we are law enforcement, our role is
to definitely reduce recidivism and help individuals in our community.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
I like that in corporal if there's anybody that's listening
to this podcast that has a nonprofit organization or something
that relates to this type of things that maybe, you know,
maybe right now is a little too late because we're
going on to this on May ninth, or we might
still be on time, But how can they get involved
with with the community and how can they reach out
to you guys if they really have interesting in helping
(13:53):
out this community.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Well, you know, they can reach out through our website,
and I believe we are Our email is GCSO. Is
it GCSO mental health dot com dot Gwennette County dot com.
In any case, just go to the main website and
then you can follow the links to our Mental Health
(14:14):
Task Force section of it. But you don't have to
be at this event in order to want to be involved.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Right.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
One of the things about this event is we're trying
to build community. So we're trying to get people who
have resources but may not have all the resources and
somebody comes up to them and they say, I need
this help. Well, I don't provide that service, but now
I know somebody who does provide that service. I met
them the other day. And we always want to meet
(14:42):
people who can tell us about resources or can provide
those resources, and then that's our job as well. One
of our jobs is to kind of facilitate that happening
with other people, and then we will also call them
when we need help, and then we go to help
them when they need help. It's none of this stuff
works in isolation. If we all kind of work in
(15:05):
our own little bubble right right, our own little bubble,
we're not really going to accomplish much.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
But it's part of why we're here today talking about
it because we have to have awareness. People have to
know that we even exist, and then maybe that gets
interest and then they come to us and or you know,
we find them and we you know, bring people together
and in doing that and in kind of building that community,
I think we can accomplish a lot more than we
could by ourselves.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
And I want to add to that to say, even
if they're not vendors, still come out if they have
their information, their brochures, their cards, come out, meet the
other individuals that's there. Like he said, partner with them.
We'll have their information so we can still pass along
because we keep a list of you know, nonprofits in
the community and what they offer, so we would be
(15:54):
delighted to still have them come out and share that information.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
One hundred percent. So again and the reminder for everybody
that's that's listening to this to this podcast right now,
this is a great event that I feel that the
community should be involved with. We went to watt Placamunia
Community Mental Health Awareness Fair Breaking the Stigma Saturday, May ninth,
from ten am to two pm Alexander Park at eight
hundred Old Snailville Highway in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Major This is
(16:21):
this is an event that I really, you know, hold
dear to me, you know, and I'm going to open
up to you guys. I deal with mental health myself,
you know, and I know sometimes it's hard to want
to admit it. But I think the more you talk
about it, the better it is, you know, the better
healing you get out of it. I deal with mental health,
you know, just from a tragedy that I never thought
(16:44):
I would go through, you know, of losing somebody at
an early age, and that triggered, you know, anxiety. And
I've been dealing with it on and off for many years,
and it's been off for the past five six, seven years,
and it just turned on a couple of months ago,
you know, and it's it's how to cope with it,
how to deal with it, but also how to find
(17:04):
other community members and get involved with these organizations and
share your story to empower other people that might feel that,
you know, Oh, I feel uncomfortable talking about it, you know.
I think it's important, you know, And I've always told myself,
you know, having the power of the microphone is not
just entertain people, but it's also to inform people and
(17:26):
communicate to people things that sometimes are little, you know,
I don't want to say gray, but just they're more
personal to you. But I think that if you open
up to the community and you let them know how
you feel, it's a way of you healing too, you know.
And I think that mental health is that is finding
ways of helping each other out when you're dealing with situations,
(17:48):
and not every person situation is the same, but there's
something that does correlate, which is it's something that you're
dealing with and there is help, and there is and
there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
You know.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Sometimes I've heard of people, you know, committing suicide, which
is the worse of it.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
You know.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I've heard people that have taken matters into their own hands,
have gotten aggressive and done things that probably in their
right state of mind would have never done, but it's
because they never reached out, you know. So I really
think that this type of event, you know, it's something
that is needed, and I really appreciate you guys, you know,
as a mental task force for the Gwyne County Sheriff's
Office taking the upper hand of doing this because you
(18:26):
don't really see a lot of other you know, police
departments or sheriff departments, you know, really digging in to
the community and trying to better the Like you were
talking about the jail system, you know, you have these
repetitive cases of people going in and out of the system,
in and out of the system, and there's no help
for them. They're just they're booked, they're there for their time,
(18:48):
they're out, they commit the same crime, it's tied to
the same thing, mental health, and they're right back in
the system. But you guys are trying to follow up
with them. And I think that's admirable to have that
in the county, and I think that should hopefully spread
throughout the state that there's help out there now.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Absolutely absolutely, and thank you for sharing your story. I
think that's very important as well, understanding that we all
know someone has dealt with something that's related to mental
health at some point. Right I have a nephew who
has had several mental health episodes, and what's alarming for
me was recognizing when the time happened. Of course there's
another state. Who do you call? Where do we go?
(19:26):
And so that was really the driving point to say,
we need to make sure and when that county that
we make a difference in that area, because it was
very unfortunate when you don't know who to call and
you have a young man who's eighteen nineteen years old
and typically as a great individual but here you are
having a psychotic break and no one knows who to
call or what to do right and so what we
(19:47):
typically do as people we call nine one one, and
individuals end up in the jail and that's not where
they belong. So we're trying to get that word out,
breaking that stigma. Contacts, see how we can help. Let's
get this taken care of, where individuals are not in
a justice system that they don't need to be in.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
That's it. Well, this is a great event community Mental
Health Awareness Fair. Again. The date is Saturday, May ninth,
ten am to two pm, Alexander Park, eight hundred Old
Snailville Highway. I'll leave obviously all the information also on
our on our podcast description so you could check this out.
And again, I just want to thank all three of
(20:28):
you guys for being part of this task force. I
think it's important. I imagine that each of you were
brought into this, you know, for for your own you know,
reasons of wanting to help the community. So again, Lieutenant
want to thank you for being being in the studio
and talking a little bit about what's going on and
inside of the inside of the jail and and what's
going on inside of the you know, when people are confined,
(20:52):
they're they're they're they're put in a hard situation, you know,
and and sometimes you know, there's help out there and
they just don't go or they're not advised and they
just end up there. So I appreciate you giving that perspective.
Corporal also, you know for being involved with the community,
looking for those nonprofit organizations, those those vendors that are
that are looking to help out the community. And obviously
(21:13):
you major for for always having the time to come
in and speak about these you know, I want to
call it sensitive subjects because they are to an extent,
it's a sensitive subject, but it needs to be talked about.
And like you say, you know, breaking the stigma. I
think this is a great title for this event. And
I'm going to try my very very best to be
there because you know, it's something that that that I
hold dear to to so I think I would I
(21:33):
would love to at least show up, you know, and
be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
We would be delighted to have you, and again I
hope that we can have more conversations around breaking the
stigma and how we can help our community. So thank
you again, no.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Thank You so Much. Podcast podcast at a t l
m B
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