In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Suzanne Weete, a 24-year Dover resident and community mental health advocate who works at Community Partners, a local community mental health center. Weete discusses her role in founding the Dover Mental Health Alliance, a grassroots coalition dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and education in the community.

The conversation explores the evolution of mental health awareness, noting how younger generations are more open to discussing mental health challenges compared to previous generations who viewed such issues with stigma. Weete emphasizes that mental health and physical health are equally important, drawing connections between the opioid crisis, the pandemic, and increased mental health needs in the community.

A significant focus of the discussion centers on Mental Health First Aid training, which Community Partners provides through a federal SAMHSA grant through October 2027. Parker shares how effective this mandatory training has been for Dover city staff, enabling them to recognize and respond to people in emotional distress. The conversation also touches on the Dover Mental Health Alliance's work toward designating Dover as a "mental health-friendly community."

Key mental health resources mentioned include:

988 (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)

833-710-6477 (New Hampshire Rapid Response mental health crisis line)

Community Partners: https://communitypartnersnh.org/

Dover Mental Health Alliance: https://dovermentalhealthalliance.org/

In This Week in Dover History, we learn about Dover's 1927 Poppy Day celebration, when veterans' organizations held fundraising events at the Opera House and sold poppies to support disabled and needy veterans and their families, connecting this historical tradition to Memorial Day observances.