By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic

A passion for art, a devotion to the Catholic faith, and a devastating family tragedy all combined to fuel a Dallas artist’s drive to bring greater awareness to mental health challenges.

After losing her brother to suicide in 2018, Victoria Rios channeled her grief into action, becoming an instructor for the Diocese of Dallas’ Mental Health First Aid program and creating an art-based foundation to help fund tuition costs for future program participants.

“If just one family is saved from going through what my family experienced, I know I’m living out my faith and honoring my brother in the best way possible,” said Rios, a parishioner at Christ the King Catholic Church.

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Rios said the roots of her creative journey can be traced back to her mother, Monna Franks.

“She exposed my brother and I to art at a very young age, dragging us on scouting expeditions,” Rios said. “I was not just introduced to art, but I was introduced to the artists behind the art. That just resonated with me.”

Despite her love for art, Rios’ mother discouraged her from pursuing it as a career.

“So, I pursued a different field, but I always had this nagging desire,” Rios said.

In 1997, Rios’ mother was diagnosed with cancer, and Rios painted a still life of flowers for her before she passed away.

“It moved her deeply, and in her way,” Rios said, “she told me I needed to continue pursuing art.”

Rios did, and, through her artwork over the years, she has strived to convey joy, celebrate life, grieve loss, foster reflection, encourage prayer, and strengthen faith.

A tragic loss

Rios’ life changed tremendously when her brother, Dean Franks, died by suicide.

“It was a huge shock to all of us,” Rios said, adding that her grief shifted her creative efforts to a darker space that eventually became brighter. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was using art as therapy.”

Rios’ art helped her navigate the overwhelming emotions.

“I came to realize I was skipping a fundamental step in my grieving process—the feeling part,” she said, leading her to collaborate with her brother’s favorite artist, Ashley Palmer, to create a tribute to her brother, a piece incorporating many aspects of Franks’ life and symbolizing her brother as a hawk. “Dean was always an outdoorsman, and I always saw him as a hawk. His life inspired so much of my art.”

Rios’ grief extended beyond personal healing into a broader mission of mental health advocacy. She recalled in 2020, sitting in Mass, listening to a list of parish ministries, and realizing there was no mention of a mental health ministry. Determined to change that, she visited the Diocese of Dallas pastoral center and connected with Melissa Waldon, an associate director in the Office of Catholic Social Ministries, who oversees ministries for disabilities and mental health challenges.

At the time, Waldon was coordinating the launch of a grant-funded campaign for Mental Health First Aid after a need for such a program became more apparent in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Bishop [Edward J.] Burns had been hearing from priests about an increase in deaths by suicide and other mental health challenges,” she said. “He wanted us to develop a mental health response for the diocese.”

Waldon described Mental Health First Aid as a peer-to-peer mental health program that equips individuals with the skills to recognize the early signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, worsening conditions, and potential crises, while offering tools to guide them toward appropriate resources.

“Much like CPR for physical health, Mental Health First Aid is designed to help people recognize early signs and symptoms,” Waldon said. “It also teaches how to provide proper resources and referrals, and how to speak with those experiencing mental health crises to ensure they get the help they need.”

The diocese found a partner in Texas Health Resources, which was searching for a faith-based organization with which to collaborate on mental health efforts.

“It was truly divine timing,” Waldon said.

By 2021, the diocese had trained 10 instructors to offer Mental Health First Aid classes. To date, the program has trained more than 500 people as Mental Health First Aiders across the diocese, and the need for additional instructors remains.

“This is a rewarding journey,” Waldon said. “We’re breaking the stigma around mental health by simply starting conversations and giving people the language they need to talk about it.”

Honoring a brother

As Rios dove deeper into the program, she realized how crucial it was for communities to have mental health advocates at the peer-to-peer level.

“There were no red flags with my brother, but there were so many little white ones we missed,” she explained. “Mental Health First Aid bridges that gap—teaching people how to recognize signs in those around them and to offer support.”

In her journey to become a certified instructor, Rios realized implementing the program was not without its hurdles, including funding challenges.

“I realized this is how I could honor Dean,” Rios said. “I decided to use my art to raise money for the tuition of others wanting to become certified instructors.”

Using the tribute piece to her late brother as inspiration, Rios established the DeanHawk Foundation to support funding tuition for Mental Health First Aid instructor certification and programming. The foundation’s mission is rooted in fostering connection, listening, and helping others recognize the importance of mental health and self-care.

“It’s not just ‘those in need;’ it’s ‘we in need,’ because we all face mental challenges at some point,” Rios said. “We teach people how to recognize signs early, encourage self-care, and approach others with compassion.”

Rios’ involvement has been a blessing for the diocese, according to Waldon.

“Her lived experience with mental health challenges and her willingness to give back through the foundation in her brother’s memory is inspiring,” Waldon said. “Having her alongside us not only brings more instructors into the program, but also allows us to continue growing and training more people.”

To learn more about the Mental Health First Aid program, Waldon encouraged people to reach out to their parish or contact her directly by calling 214-379-2895.

“We’re trying to eliminate fear around mental health, and every conversation brings us closer to breaking the stigma,” Waldon said. “Together, we can provide compassionate care and support for all in our diocese.”

To learn more about Rios’ art and the DeanHawk Foundation, visit victoriariosart.com. The foundation currently is accepting applications for MHFA instructor certification tuition assistance. Deadline for submission is Oct. 15.

Cutline for featured image:  Following the death of her brother, Dean Franks, Dallas artist Victoria Rios became involved with the Diocese of Dallas’ Mental Health First Aid program and started the DeanHawk Foundation to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention while providing critical support and resources to those in need.