Jode Freyholtz London, Executive Director of Wellness In The Woods, has been awarded the 2017 Rural Health Hero award by the Minnesota Department of Health Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. In the Moorhead area, Freyholtz London has presented trainings in Mental Health First Aid, a day long training on how to respond to anyone struggling with a mental illness and QPR, an hour long suicide prevention training geared towards the general community. Freyholtz London has also partnered with the local Adult Mental Health Initiative and worked with the Afro American Development Association in developing strategies to assist New Americans.
Freyholtz London received the Rural Health Hero Award June 19 at the Rural Health Conference in Duluth. In its nineteenth year, the Rural Health Hero Award is presented to recognize individuals and teams that have made outstanding contributions to rural health care.
In helping present the award, Wellness In The Woods Outreach Associate Steve Hansberry introduced Freyholtz London as "the hardest worker, from the smallest town, doing the greatest good."
Wellness In The Woods is recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as Minnesota's consumer run mental health awareness, advocacy, and training organization. Now in its fifth year, Wellness In The Woods has developed a statewide reach. Training is offered in QPR, Mental Health First Aid, Wellness Recovery Action Plan, Emotional CPR, and Peer to Peer telephone support. Legislative advocacy includes the development of Peer Respite Centers in Minnesota.
