Feeling vulnerable? These Washington resources are here to help.

The tragic incident that occurred outside West Richland's Wiley Elementary School on Monday, April 23, has left the Tri-Cities shaken. Parents, children, and teachers witnessed a horrific scene. Schools and the community were in lockdown for a few hours, and a late-night Amber Alert was issued. During the event, information was scarce and emotions were high.

There's no question: Tri-Cities experienced trauma this week.

Many of our families, friends, and co-workers are left troubled, scared, and angry. Many of us are too. While some schools, workplaces, and community centers are offering free services to their members, there are still many people who need help and don't know where to turn.

However, there are many permanent resources available that can offer counseling for all ages and crises.

These resources offer counseling and assistance for free.

The below resources are recommended by the Washington State Department of Health.

Phone hotlines:

• 988: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Includes the Native and Strong Lifeline (option 4) for Indigenous peoples.
• 866-789-1511: Washington Recovery Helpline.
• 866-TEENLINK: Teen Link. For teenagers and young adults under 21. Phone available from 6 pm - 10 pm.
• 800-448-3000: Boys Town National Hotline. Teens can text VOICE to 20121 or email hotline@boystown.org.
• 800-267-5463: Copline, for police officers.

Text and chat resources:

• Text 678-678: Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQIA2S+. Also available online and through 988 (option 3).
• Text 838-255: Veteran Crisis Line.  Also available online and through 988 (option 1).
• Text HEAL to 741-741: Crisis Text Line.

Online resources:

• Washington 211: find local community resources.
• Resilience, Mental Health Promotion & Suicide Prevention Apps
• The Jed Foundation: for college students.
• We R Native: for indigenous youth.

As a final thought, I'll share a quote from Emily and Amelia Nagoski, authors of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle:

... the answer to our exhaustion wasn’t “self-care” — self-care is the fallout shelter you build in your basement because the government says it’s your responsibility, not theirs, to protect yourself from nuclear war. And revolution? We couldn’t wait for a revolution; we needed help now.

So we read the research. And it turned out the answer to our exhaustion was not “self-care” or revolution, but all of us caring for each other.

Take care of each other, Tri-Cities.