May Is Mental Health Awareness Month: Stronger Together In Hope For Change In Ramsey County

Press release from Ramsey County:

April 29, 2021

Each May we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month as a great opportunity for the community to discuss and acknowledge the importance of mental health and wellness. It’s now more important than ever to connect with each other to overcome the isolation of COVID-19 and continue to improve understanding of mental illness and promote access to services. We are stronger together, despite being physically separated.

Check out the resources below for ways to engage in and share Mental Health Awareness Month. You will find virtual activities to attend, materials to post on social media, and links to mental health resources.

Mental Health Month calendar of events

Monday, May 3, 12:15- 1:15 p.m.

In Our Own Voice

This event will begin with a 15-minute land acknowledgment and centering led by Healer Elder June Blue, followed by an In Our Own Voice speaker. In Our Own Voice is a unique public education program where trained speakers share compelling personal stories about living with a mental illness and achieving recovery, demonstrating that there is hope for recovery for people with mental illnesses. The presentation includes personal stories and video clips, as well as offering an opportunity to ask questions. The IOOV program has touched many lives and is effective in reducing the stigma surrounding mental illnesses.

• Join the event via Zoom

Thursday, May 6, 4:30-5:45 p.m.

Creating Healthy Routines That Support Wellbeing

This event will begin with a 15-minute healing centering led by Healer Chamath, followed by University of Minnesota Extension's Cari Michaels and Chelsea Williams to examine different ways to think about mental wellbeing and explore self-care struggles and successes.

• Join the event via Zoom

Monday, May 10, 4:30-5:45 p.m.

Promoting Cultural Appropriate Resources That Support Mental Wellbeing (Speaker Lidiya Girma)

• Join the event via Zoom

Thursday, May 13, Noon -1:15 p.m.

Shifting the Conversation About Mental Illness with Cultural Perspective (Speaker Shrilynn)

• Join the event via Zoom

Green Ribbon Activities

Show Your Support for Mental Health Awareness with Your Lime Green Champion

This year's May Is Mental Health Awareness Month theme is "Hope for Change." The activities and messages ground us in the moment, allow us to reflect on the growth we have experienced, and empower us to face change in the future with hope as our guiding principle. The past year has undoubtedly brought unanticipated changes for us as individuals, families, and communities--leaving us to face these challenges and transform. Change is not always planned but growth can be powerful and empowering. It can also be uncomfortable. "Hope for Change" reminds us to continue to develop and rely on the hope that carried us through a year of change. These activities follow physical distancing guidelines and are built off the past year that changed many of our self-care activities.

Here are a few of the many ways you can use a green ribbon to raise awareness, reduce stigma and celebrate May Is Mental Health Month.

How you can participate:

• Print a green ribbon (PDF) and place in a window, on a door or in your yard where visible to others.
• Print a green ribbon and write your mental health champion why their important to you. Take a photo and share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Be as creative as you want! #HopeForChangeRC
• Complete the following sentence and post to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: "It's Up to Us to end the stigma around mental illness because......" #HopeForChangeRC #RamseyCounty

Note: Posts will be highlighted locally throughout the month of May in support of May Is Mental Health Awareness Month. Post privacy settings must be set to "PUBLIC" in order for your photo and caption to be seen by others.

Adopted by Each Mind Matters https://www.eachmindmatters.org/

Ramsey County Mental Health resources

• Ramsey County Mental and Behavioral Health
• Ramsey County Mental Health and Well-Being webpage

Other resources available

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota

This press release was produced by Ramsey County. The views expressed are the author's own.