Branson Recovery Jamboree Offers Free Suicide Prevention Training

A Missouri community is making it easier for neighbors to recognize crisis and offer hope.

The sixth annual Recovery Jamboree returns to Branson on September 19, bringing together more than 20 local agencies at the Sanctuary of Hope. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and welcomes anyone seeking support or wanting to learn how to help others.

This year's jamboree adds something new: free QPR suicide prevention training. The evidence-based program teaches community members how to spot warning signs, start conversations with people in crisis, and connect them to appropriate help.

Organizers say the training gives everyday people the confidence to take action when someone might be struggling. It's part of a bigger vision where neighbors look out for each other during mental health challenges.

Families can access health screenings, connect with community resources, and pick up food during the event. Kids enjoy snow cones, popcorn, games, and a bounce house while adults explore support options. Everyone gets a free lunch.

"This event emphasizes that individuals in recovery and their support systems can be change agents in our communities," said Marietta Hagan, project coordinator with CoxHealth. She stressed that behavioral health is essential to overall health and that prevention truly works.

The Ripple Effect

The jamboree happens during National Recovery Month, a nationwide effort to break stigma around mental health and substance use disorders. But the Branson event does more than raise awareness. It puts tools directly into community hands.

When more people know how to recognize crisis and offer support, entire communities become safer. The addition of QPR training means attendees leave equipped to potentially save lives in their neighborhoods, workplaces, and families.

Local prevention, treatment, and recovery providers collaborated to make the jamboree possible. Their partnership shows what happens when organizations work together toward shared goals rather than operating in silos.

Hagan believes everyone has something to contribute. "We all have the potential to make a difference and be visible, vocal and valuable to help spread the message that recovery is possible," she said. "Only through working together can we become a recovery ready community."

The event proves that supporting people through mental health challenges doesn't require professional credentials. Sometimes it starts with showing up, learning how to help, and believing that recovery is within reach for everyone.