Standing in the Gap: Jen Gentry-Tonn on Mental Health, Crisis Response & Breaking the Small-Town Silence

On the worst day of your life, who shows up at your door? Usually someone wearing a badge. But between that first knock and actually getting help, there's a gap. Jen Gentry-Ton has spent 13 years as one of many who stand in it. Jen is the Director of the Behavioral Health Liaison team at Family Guidance Center. Her team works alongside law enforcement, the courts and hospitals to connect people in a mental health crisis with the help they need. When the state created the role, Jen was the only liaison covering nine counties. Today she leads a team of ten, and they meet people wherever they are: at home, at the hospital, in jail or on the street. In this episode, Jen talks about why rural communities struggle to talk openly about mental health and why so many officers and jail staff are "social workers with badges." She explains why it can take three to six months to see a therapist in our region, and how her team keeps people connected so they don't fall through the cracks while they wait. Jen also gets personal. Mental health runs in her family, and after the 2020 loss of two members of our local first responder community, she found herself in a depression of her own. She talks about finally practicing what she preached. For Jodie, this conversation is a full-circle moment, because Jen was the person who answered her call when she needed help. In this episode: What a behavioral health liaison does and how the program grew from one person to ten How law enforcement, courts and mental health professionals are working together Why small towns stay quiet about mental health, and why "it's okay to not be okay" The therapist shortage and why insurance companies call our area "saturated" Telehealth and other ways to reach people in rural counties like Worth and Gentry Mental health support for kids and young people in our schools Jen's own story of grief, burnout and asking for help If you or someone you love is struggling: Call or text 988. You don't have to be in crisis to call. It's there even if you just need someone to talk to. Behavioral Health Urgent Care is on Frederick Ave. in St. Joseph, across from Meierhoffer, and is open Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Walk in, no appointment needed. Family Guidance Center: https://fgcnow.org/ If this episode helped you, or made you think of someone who needs help, share it with them. It might be the easiest way to start a hard conversation. 💛 The 39/94 Podcast - New episodes every week! Watch this episode on YouTube: @the3994podcast Learn more about supporting The 39/94 Podcast: Patreon Our sponsors: North Central Missouri College www.ncmissouri.edu Scooter's Coffee Savannah & St. Joseph: https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffeeSavannah Wollenman Family's Deluxe Truck Stop https://www.deluxetruckstop.com/ Gina's Cafe & Catering https://www.ginascafeandcatering.com/ E.L. Crawford Construction http://www.elcrawford.com/ Greater Than Financial https://www.greaterthanfinancial.com/ Hair by Morgan: https://www.facebook.com/hairbymorganhontz