Mental Health Month was first established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental wellness, reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, and improve access to mental health resources for everyone.
This month is an opportunity to educate ourselves, share and access support, and commit to building a brighter future for the more than 1 in 5 individuals living with mental illness.
During Mental Health Month, we encourage you to:
- Let others know how you really feel. Being more open about mental health helps reduce stigma and can make those around us feel more comfortable asking for help. So next time somebody close to you asks you how you're doing, be honest! It might start a valuable conversation.
- Ask about suicide. There's no evidence that asking about suicide increases its risk, so it's always better to ask. The Jed Foundation has some great resources for starting this conversation.
- Share your story. Join in on social media by sharing your story, passing on resources, and spreading hope!
- Find support.
- If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Hotline or access the chatline at 988lifeline.org/chat.
- Talk to your primary care provider. You can find a list of REACH-trained providers here.
- Find a therapist — Psychology Today and the Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) both offer helpful tools for narrowing down local therapists by insurance, specialty, and more.
If you're a primary care or mental health provider:
- FOR YOUR PATIENTS:
- Attend a REACH training to strengthen your mental health diagnosis and treatment skills.
- Connect with a Child Psychiatry Access Program (CPAP) in your area to access a psychiatric consultation for your pediatric patients.
- View our Rating Scales page for evidence-based screening tools you can incorporate in your practice immediately to assess concerns like aggression, anxiety, depression, adhd, and more.
- Visit our Tools page for more provider resources including an Action Signs Toolkit, a guide for Treatment of Maladaptive Aggression in Youth, and Guidelines for Adolescent Depression in Primary Care (GLAD-PC).
- For a variety of additional resources, check out our Free Resources page for families and providers.
- FOR YOU: No one can pour from an empty cup. Visit the ProQOL website to learn about compassion fatigue and other impacts of providing support to patient in distress. You'll also find self-care tools and other resources for refilling your cup.
- Text crisis line: 741741 (only 6 digits); text STEVE for POC counselor
- Suicide Hotline: 1 800 273-TALK (8255)
- Trans Lifeline Peer Support US:1-877-565-8860
- Trevor Lifeline (LGBTQIA support) 1866 488 7386
- The GLBT National Youth Talkline (youth serving youth – age 25): (800) 246-7743
- RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline: 800 656 4673
- National Helpline for Substance Use 1 844 289 0879
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP, or TTY 1-800-487-4889
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“The training provided an interactive learning experience for a highly salient topic with limited community resources. The specific tools provided (for screening, treatment, and follow-up) and the network of providers are so valuable for sustaining this in practice.”