Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
April 27, 2007, Vol. 07-71

May Is Mental Health Month

For more than fifty years, our country has celebrated Mental Health Month to raise awareness about mental illnesses and the importance of mental wellness for all. Sponsored by Mental Health America, Mental Health Month is a great time to share messages about mental health with your community. The recent Virginia Tech tragedy provides an opportunity to increase public awareness and understanding of mental health issues through Mental Health Month activities.

Get Involved!

The ADS Center wants to help you get involved in Mental Health Month. Check out these Web sites for information and resources:

What A Difference A Friend Makes for information about how to encourage, educate, and inspire people between the ages of 18 and 25 to support their friends who are experiencing mental health problems. For example, you might create your own radio public service announcement like the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and hold a press conference announcing your involvement in the What A Difference A Friend Makes campaign.

Mental Health: It's Part of College Life for ideas about how to generate mental health awareness on college campuses. Work with a college or university in your community to hold a discussion series for students about different mental health topics.

Mental Health Ministries - download the "May Is Mental Health Month" bulletin insert either in English or Spanish. Work with local faith communities to get the insert into their weekly bulletins.

The ADS Center's Campaigns and Programs map to find out what others are doing in your community. Contact them and ask how you can participate in their activities.

Talking to Kids about Mental Illness, if you're a parent, grandparent, or someone who works with young people. Then, sit down with the kids and teens in your life and talk about mental health. If you'll be talking with teens, show them the link to Reach Out! Central, an interactive online game that helps young adults sort through the thoughts and emotions they might experience in real-life interactions.

Developing a Stigma Reduction Initiative - print out the Sample Proclamation on page 70. Work with your local elected officials to make Mental Health Month an official event in your community.

You also may want to visit these Web sites for materials, ideas, and information:

• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
• Half of Us
• Mental Health America
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services

What are you doing for Mental Health Month?

The ADS Center wants to know what you're doing for Mental Health Month! Send a description of your events and activities to us at stopstigma@shs.net. We hope to feature some of your stories during the month of May, so please let us hear from you now!

Do you have materials to share?

If you have materials or resources that you think would be beneficial to our site, please let us know! Send an email to stopstigma@shs.net or call 1-800-540-0320.

About the SAMHSA ADS Center

SAMHSA's Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center) helps people design, implement, and operate programs that reduce discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses. With the most up-to-date research and information, the ADS Center helps individuals, organizations, and governments counter such discrimination and stigma in the community, in the workplace, and in the media.

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To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list, please visit the Consumer Survivor page of the Center for Mental Health Services Web site at: http://samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/

The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.