Highland County commissioners proclaim Mental Health Awareness Month
Highland County commissioners proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month, with the proclamation accepted by representatives of several area agencies. Pictured (l-r) are Highland County commissioners David Daniels and Brad Roades; Kim Davis, Melanie Ballein, Bill Bowman, Chandra Culver and Crystal Weaver; and commissioner Terry Britton. (HCP Photo/Caitlin Forsha)
Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month in Highland County during their Wednesday, May 13 meeting.
Accepting the proclamation were Melanie Ballein of Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health; Chandra Culver and Crystal Weaver with FRS Counseling; Kim Davis of the Highland County Probation Department; and Bill Showman of Paint Valley ADAMH.
(Editor’s note: If you need emotional support, please reach out to the national mental health hotline by calling or texting 988.)
According to Mental Health America (https://mhanational.org), “Mental Health America founded Mental Health Awareness Month in 1949 and has led the effort every May to promote mental wellness nationwide.
“This year’s theme — ‘More Good Days, Together’ — encourages us all to reflect on what a ‘good’ day looks like, both for ourselves, and for our communities. Together, we can use that insight to connect people to the right support at the right time, and shape advocacy, education and community engagement to make more good days possible for all.”
Showman said that Paint Valley ADAMH has also adopted the “More Good Days, Together” theme for activities this spring.
“It's really just recognizing the love in the community, pointing out that there are resources and raising awareness,” Showman said.
According to a PVADAMH press release, these activities include “a juried art show hosted at OU Chillicothe,” which will feature “both accomplished and novice artists to share work that reflects hope, resilience and mental wellness.” A reception for the More Good Days Together Art Show will be held May 14 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Ohio University Chillicothe’s Bennett Hall in the Patricia Scott Memorial Art Gallery. Other activities have been planned in PVADAMH’s coverage area (Fayette, Highland, Pickaway, Pike and Ross counties) throughout the month.
PVADAMH is also sharing its #LightItUpGreen campaign on social media, with Facebook posts raising awareness for mental health. To follow along and/or participate, follow the board at www.facebook.com/pvadamh/.
Davis added that Friday, May 22 will be “Yellow Day” in Hillsboro in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month. The community is encouraged to wear yellow and visit the uptown district from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for “a day filled with kindness, connection and community spirit,” according to an event post.
Local agencies will be set up with informational tables, and businesses in the area are also invited to participate in Yellow Day.
“We'll have resources available,” Davis said. “We're going to have several of the agencies that are going to be setting up and just giving that information out to the community to let them know ‘what is mental health, and where can I seek treatment for myself or a loved one.’”
After meeting with the group, Britton read the proclamation recognizing “May as Highland County Mental Health Awareness Month and urging all citizens to join in this special observance and commit to increasing awareness, reducing stigma and taking tangible steps to support the mental health of our neighbors, colleagues and families.”
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AWARENESS
Older American and Mental Health Awareness all in the same month. One would think this is almost implied that all seniors have mental problems, not just old men tilting at windmills or get off my lawn types. I commented in this paper many months ago that mental cases aren't senior's problems. That was very much an incorrect statement after watching victims endure the slow machinations of arrest and prosecution and very often lack thereof. One where the perpetrator has infinite rights, a free lawyer, and the victim sits for months watching their own rights and justice being stripped of them through plea bargains with no say in the process. I've personally seen one of those writ of promises to be a good boy, it might have just as well been written on toliet paper. The moral codes that guide the rest of us don't apply to these mental cases, especially the violent ones. The definition of perversely absolutely describes the court system in America today.
We had a story about Heroes recently in this paper. I'm looking for just one.