Mental Health Month 2022

Mental Health Month Slider

 

Millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. That is why in May, hundreds of organizations across the country are raising awareness about mental health. Inspire others to raise awareness and take part in sharing information, resources, and support for mental health conditions.
      

Want to receive updates about mental health resources and training opportunities past Mental Health Awareness Month? Subscribe to our Network's and your Regional Center's newsletters today!

General Mental Health


National Organizations Offering Mental Health Month Activities and Resources:

Webinar 1: Mental Health 101 – Overview of Mental Health Issues in the Modern World, May 4 - SAMHSA and HUD will kick off their celebration of National Mental Health Awareness Month with an introduction and general overview of mental health issues post COVID-19. Access Code: 4670871#

Webinar 2: 988 is Not a Joke – National Suicide Prevention Hotline Launch, May 11 - SAMHSA and HUD will introduce SAMHSA’s new Suicide Prevention Hotline (988). The webinar will also address suicide prevention for youth and the BIPOC community, in addition to touching on substance use. Access Code: 8477433#

Webinar 3: Get Help – Reducing Stigma Associated with Mental Health, May 18 - SAMHSA and HUD will focus on reducing stigma associated with mental health, to encourage those with potential mental health issues to seek professional help. This webinar will also concentrate on the BIPOC community, addressing stigma specific to these populations. Access Code: 5955873#

Webinar 4: Now What? – Mental Health Issues in Post-COVID America, May 25 - SAMHSA and HUD will examine how to address mental health issues in post-COVID America. This webinar will discuss how to handle and move past multiple co-occurring pandemics, using a mental health focus on substance use disorder, housing, work, education, and transportation among other relevant topics. Access Code: 6268721# 

National Prevention Week, May 8-14

National Prevention Week banner

 

National Prevention Week (NPW) is an annual observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental health and substance use disorders. Each year, SAMHSA honors NPW with daily themes to focus on major substance use and mental health topics. The 2022 daily themes and suggested events/resources are:

 


Monday, May 9: Strengthening Community Resilience: Substance Misuse and Overdose Prevention | Register for SAMHSA’s 18th Annual Prevention Day, May 9
      

Tuesday, May 10: Preventing Substance Use and Promoting Mental Health in Youth | Download Substance Misuse Prevention for Young Adults Guide and read the U.S. Surgeon General’s latest advisory about Protecting Youth Mental Health
      

Wednesday, May 11: Preventing Suicide: Everyone Plays a Role | Register for the National Hispanic and Latino MHTTC's May 16 Suicide Prevention Summit - Suicidal Behaviors in Latino Communities: Culturally Grounded Prevention and Intervention Approaches
      

Thursday, May 12: The Talent Pipeline: Enhancing the Prevention Workforce | View the Great Lakes MHTTC's recording on the role of preventionists in accelerating health equity and communities of wellbeing
      

Friday, May 13: Prevention is Everywhere: Highlighting Efforts Across Settings and Communities | Register for the National American Indian and Alaska Native MHTTC's Behavioral Health Education Program for American Indian and Alaska Native Providers

 

#MyPreventionStory:

This year, SAMHSA is also creating a new way to participate in NPW through #MyPreventionStory. It is a way for us to acknowledge our mental health and substance use prevention experiences. Leading up to NPW, SAMHSA will be encouraging individuals and organizations to create and share a prevention story on social media—whether it’s telling how they are helping to prevent substance use or sharing the ways they’re promoting mental health during COVID-19. Click here to learn more!


For more information and access to SAMHSA's NPW events and resources, click here.

National Older Adults Mental Health Awareness Day is May 16

Older Adult Symposium Banner

 

Suicide, depression, anxiety, and problems with alcohol and medications are issues that older adults face. It is especially important during this unprecedented time to promote connection and recovery for older adults with mental health concerns.

5th Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day Symposium - May 16

 

 

 

 

Children's and School Mental Health


Children's Mental Health Awareness Week is May 1-7

Observing this week helps to raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health and show that positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development. One in five children struggle with mental illness but few receive treatment. Observing this day helps to end stigma and discrimination about mental health in children and youth. Below are resources related to children's mental health awareness.

Classroom WISE – Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Literacy in Schools

Classroom WISE is a FREE 3-part training package that assists K-12 educators and school personnel in supporting the mental health of students in the classroom. Developed by the MHTTC Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health, this package offers evidence-based strategies and skills to engage and support students experiencing adversity and distress. In addition to a free online course on mental health literacy for educators and school personnel, a video library and resource collection are also available! Access the complete Classroom WISE training package here.
      


Coming Soon! Cultural Inclusiveness and Equity WISE: A Companion Course

A new companion course to Classroom WISE, Classroom WISE: Cultural Inclusiveness and Equity WISE (Well-Being Information and Strategies for Educators), is coming in Summer 2022! In this 2-hour self-paced, online course, developed by the Central East MHTTC in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health, educators will learn how inequities in education impact student mental health and how implicit bias influences our perceptions and responses. Building on this foundation, educators will learn culturally inclusive classroom strategies to support student mental health.