Barrington Community Comes Together for Mental Health Awareness

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted communities in many ways. The stories of hardship continue as some struggle with various challenges faced throughout the past year due to COVID-19. In a call to start talking about and addressing these issues, various community groups in and around Barrington have come together to support the “My Red Said” project, a mental health awareness initiative.

Led by Jessica Hutchison, a licensed, clinical therapist who lives in Barrington, the project is supported by BStrong Together, Barrington School District 220, Barrington Youth & Family Services, Samaritan Counseling Center, NAMI of Barrington, Behavioral Psychology Associates, where Hutchison currently practices, and three community media groups, 365 Barrington, Barrington SCOOP and Quintessential Barrington.

“The mission of My Red Said is to let people in our community know that they are not alone and encourage those who are struggling to speak up and ask for help,” said Hutchison. “There are always options. There is always an ear ready to listen. And we are always stronger together.”

Members of the community were encouraged to pick up red ribbons at various locations around town and hang them outside of one’s home, or in windows outside of storefronts. Ribbons were hung as a way of saying, “you are not alone” and include messages of hope written on them. Organizers also encouraged the community to "Go Red" on social media by posting a red square on their social media pages for added online awareness.

“While the red ribbon awareness piece is crucial, so too is the call-to-action,” said Hutchison. “We’ve created a My Red Said Web page that includes a list of resources for members of our community. We will also be sharing tips and advice from campaign partners during My Red Week that kicked off this past Monday, March 8."

The Resource page, found HERE, includes a list of all therapists in and around the community who are currently accepting new clients and will be continuously updated.

“This project is a great example of the community coming together to further the dialogue that it is okay to not be okay,” said Betsy Wintringer, Executive Director of Barrington Youth and Family Services (BYFS). “We are proud to support My Red Said and to be here for those in need throughout our community."

According to recent research from the Kaiser Family Foundation, young adults have experienced a number of pandemic-related consequences. During the pandemic, a larger than average share of young adults (ages 18-24) report symptoms of anxiety and or depressive disorder (56%). Compared to all adults, young adults are more likely to report substance use (25% vs. 13%) and suicidal thoughts (26% vs. 11%).

For more information on the My Red Said initiative, click HERE. For more information on Jessica Hutchison and her practice, click HERE.