Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. For the past 20 years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has recognized Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) every May to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being.

Need Help?

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
To learn how to get support for mental health, drug, and alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov.
To locate treatment facilities or providers, visit FindTreatment.gov or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).

Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, has recorded a video message for Mental Health Awareness Month.

Check out what SAMHSA is doing and share our materials, and remember that we all play active roles in caring for our mental health.

Use the FindSupport.gov Toolkit to spread awareness and provide resources for those who need them.

The 988 Partner Toolkit is a one-stop shop for resources that anyone to use to promote awareness of 988.

NPW promotes prevention events and resources to help keep people and communities healthy and safe.

Events

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Date and Time: May 8, 2023 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ET)

Topic: History of Children’s Mental Health Week

Description: Learn about how Children’s Mental Health Week was born!

Presenters: Barbara Huff, Founding Director of the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and Barb Scheidegger, Executive Director Missouri Families 4 Families

Date and Time: May 9, 2023, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (ET)

Location: Live-Stream

Sponsor: Nemours Children’s Health; SAMHSA is participating

Speaker: Tom Coderre, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use

The convening will focus on federal policy to support school-based behavioral health services and will highlight effective models and identify federal policy recommendations with a focus on Medicaid. Attendees will include representatives from several federal agencies, state and local school-based behavioral health leaders, philanthropy, and other interested stakeholders. Seven Project AWARE grantees have been invited.

Date and Time: May 9, 2023 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ET)

Topic: Self-Care Practice for Youth and Advocates for Youth with Messages of Hope in Recovery from Youth with Lived Experiences

Description: Hear about the importance of strategies and self-reflection tools that can be used for managing self-care. Youth and young adults with broad lived experiences will share inspiring, impactful, and empowering messages of how incorporating self-care practices into their daily lives have supported and enhanced their personal recovery journey.

Presenter: Youth MOVE National

Date and Time: May 10, 2023 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ET)

Topic: Moving from Awareness to Acceptance: An Intimate Conversation with Karl and Kathy Dennis

Description: Join us as Karl and Kathy Dennis discuss their journey to create acceptance for all children and families through unconditional care and the positive social justice implications of this approach.

Presenters: Lynda Gargan, Ph.D. – Executive Director, National Federation of Families; Karl and Kathy Dennis, Pioneers and Advocates for Acceptance through Unconditional Care.

Date and Time: May 11, 2023, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (ET)

Location: Virtual event

Sponsor: The National Council on Aging (NCOA); The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL); The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); SAMHSA

Speaker: Montel Williams, Emmy-Award winning TV personality, Bestselling Author, Marine Corps and Navy Veteran and Healthcare Advocate

This is a free educational event for professionals, peers, older adults, and caregivers. Speakers from SAMHSA include welcoming remarks from the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon and a session on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults’ mental health moderated by Dr. Anita Everett.

Frequently Asked Questions about the event, including how to access the virtual event.

Date and Time: May 11, 2023 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ET)

Topic: What Oxford University Research says about Youth Peer Support

Description: Hear from youth about the importance of peers helping peers and what does the research show to support that message.

Presenter: Martin Rafferty – Youth ERA

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Indian Health Service (IHS) are planning a 2-part webinar series focusing on the behavioral health of children in Tribal communities.

The objectives for this 2-part series include:

Highlighting promising practices and outcomes of behavioral health prevention and services developed and implemented by and for children, youth, and families in Tribal communities;
Sharing information about Federal programs and resources to support the behavioral health and well-being of children, youth, and families in Tribal communities;
Creating a forum to discuss and learn about opportunities to strengthen the integration of relevant behavioral health services in human services and health care programs in Tribal communities; and
Providing the opportunity for participants to ask questions and share information about what they are observing in their communities and where they see gaps and opportunities for resources and partnerships to support children, youth, and families.

Part 1
Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 12 p.m. (ET) – 2:30 p.m. (ET)
Focus on Early Childhood and School-Based programs

Part 2
Friday, May 12, 2023, from 12 p.m. (ET) – 2:30 p.m. (ET)
Focus on Whole Family and Workforce programs

Intended audience includes behavioral health program and school staff, federal grantees, and the general public. Presenters will include Federal leaders, Federal grantees, community-based programs, and national organizations.

Date and Time: May 12, 2023 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ET)

Topic: Many Pathways to Children’s Mental Health

Description: What does the research say about Family-to-Family Peer Support? What does Parent Peer support look like in implementation? A call to action from lived experience!

Presenters: Pat Hunt of FREDLA, Susan Stearns of NAMI, and Hugh Davis of Wisconsin Family Ties.

Date and Time: May 17, 2023, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ET)

Location: Live-Stream

Sponsor: Nemours Children’s Health; SAMHSA is participating

Speakers: Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy and New York City Former Commissioner of Health Dr. Dave A Chokshi

Vivek H. Murthy Distinguished Lecture Series on Public Health Leadership in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month. This is the third in a series of fireside chats and lectures in honor of Dr. Murthy, the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States. The goal of the series is to recognize a public health leader whose enduring efforts have made a significant impact on advancing public health. At this meeting, Dr. Murthy will recognize Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, for his leadership in addressing public trust, mental health, misinformation, and health disparities among the AA and NHPI communities.

Mental Health Awareness Month

Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon's Mental Health Awareness Month Video Message