MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

Mental illnesses and addictions affect individuals, children and families year round, and our work to address them is never ending. However, we invite you to join us in the following opportunities throughout May, Mental Health Month, to support the continued mental health of your communities. VISIT http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/ for a list of activities.
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week
Starting with National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, the National Council will release a new video series on GRIT (Guts, Resilience, Identification & Timing) on May 4 featuring insight from Ben Shapiro, Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Dr. John Kane and Dr. Mary McKay. (We encourage you to share this related graphic on your social media platforms.)
Also on May 4, the SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions presents, Consultation for Kids: Models of Psychiatric Consultation in Pediatric Primary Care, a webinar to review how a busy clinician can effectively tap into psychiatric consultation to provide high quality mental health care.
Get facts on the state of children’s mental health in America from the Children’s Mental Health Report from the Child Mind Institute’s Speak Up for Kids campaign.
Join SAMHSA and the National Council on May 7, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT for National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2015: Strengthening Communities by Integrating Care, a national event streaming live from the Lansburgh Theatre in Washington, DC.
Join us for a webinar on May 8 to learn how Youth Mental Health First Aid can help teachers, school administration, coaches, faith leaders and many more who work with youth recognize early signs of mental illness and substance use, provide support in possible crises and refer young people to professional help or other resources.
Older Americans’ Mental Health Week
Mental health issues aren’t a “normal” part of aging and there are opportunities to encourage appropriate care and self-help as we age. To coincide with Older Americans’ Mental Health Week starting May 18, Mental Health First Aid USA will launch a new curriculum module on helping older adults, and the National Council will release shareable graphics and facts on mental health and aging.
Veterans and Military Mental Health
On Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives serving our country, and are reminded of the thousands of American military personnel and veterans who suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. Hear how communities can support veterans, like U.S. Army Specialist Tousha Barnes who struggled with PTSD, in a profile of Mental Health First Aid for Veterans in a special insert in USA Today’s weekend edition.
Throughout the month, the National Council is partnering with Outside the Wire, along with the Massachusetts General Hospital Academy and Points of Light, to present the Theater of War: Soldiers & Citizens Tour to National Guard and Reserve units and their communities across the United States. These events are free and open to the public thanks to a generous two-year grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. Join presentations in San Diego on May 5, Boise on May 12 and St. Croix on May 16 to help improve the lives of service members, veterans, their families and people in these communities.
Join us in spreading the word throughout Mental Health Month (and year round). Feel free to use any of our resources as your own or share them as they are. Also, please be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us at Twitter.com/NationalCouncil to share updates throughout May on these resources and let us know what you are doing to raise awareness of mental health in your community.
Warm Regards,
Linda Rosenberg
President and CEO
National Council