Mental health is important 365 days a year, 24/7. Mental Health Awareness Month provides a special opportunity to increase awareness about the stigma, challenges, education, recovery, and advocacy associated with mental health conditions. Did you know that one in five adults in the United States lives with a mental health condition? And one in ten children are affected with mental health challenges. May 2-8 is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and May 7 marks Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.
NAMI Franklin County encourages you to seek help for your family member, seek help for yourself, and speak up this month about mental health—in your community, your church, mosque, or synagogue—wherever you feel you can make a difference. Let’s be the champions of new ideas, education, and supports that improve both treatment and life outcomes for everyone who lives with a mental health condition, inspiring others to raise awareness and take part in sharing information, resources, and support. Highlighting mental health issues during May can let the world see how our passion and our courage can improve the lives of those affected by mental health conditions.
Does caretaking and advocacy for your loved one fall to one or two family members? If you live with a mental health condition, do you have family support? In either case, feeling alone and without resources can impede the ability to move forward. But know this: there is hope. Education is vital to understand mental health, how it can affect the entire family, and how advocacy can make a difference locally and even nationally. Our free education classes are a good place to begin.
- If you are a family member or friend of an adult who lives with a mental health condition, our Family-to-Family Education Program is for you. The program provides information, resources, and support for you to better understand your loved one, how to advocate for him or her, take care of yourself, and more.
- If you are at least 18 years old and experience a mental health challenge, then our Peer-to-Peer Education Program is for you. It focuses on mental health, wellness, and recovery. It offers information, resources, and a community of support to aid in a recovery plan. Peers who successfully manage their own recovery and wellness guide the classes.
- If you are a parent or family caregiver of children under the age of 18 who experience mental health challenges, our Basics Education Program is for you. It provides the skills, knowledge, and a community of people who can relate to your experience. Trained peers guide you on how to better understand and support your child while maintaining your own well-being.
NAMI Franklin County’s education programs support our steadfast belief that no one should feel broken, lost, or helpless in trying to understand and meet the challenges faced by loving someone with a mental health condition or living with one. Visit www.namifranklincounty.org for more information about all we have to offer.
