Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans live with mental illness? Mental illness is directly connected to so many of the important conversations we are having in our society: substance abuse, workplace productivity, education, elder care, childhood development, veteran issues, and more.
For years, mental illness and treatment were kept in the shadows but that’s not the case today. The conversation has shifted. Today we value emphasis on services and support for those who need them.
We know that treatment works!
Caring for our mental state is part of overall wellness. Supporting our family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors is how we develop a strong community.
Riverbend Community Mental Health is a private, nonprofit organization that provides specialized behavioral health services in central New Hampshire. Evidence-based models of treatment guide all our work and we strongly believe in the power of resilience and recovery. We provide educational programming to increase behavioral health literacy and we strongly support efforts to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health.
For us, Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate, advocate, and promote wellness. We’ve invited some of the most impressive speakers in the country, gathered amazing regional artwork, and scheduled what will become unforgettable stage productions. These events were planned with our community in mind and all are welcome.
This month we encourage you to wear a green ribbon, educate yourself and others, show your support in celebrating Mental Health Awareness!
Mental Health Awareness, #MayAndEveryDay.
(Peter Evers is CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health.)
May 1, 2019
I agree with everything that is ever stated re:changing how we view mental illness. As a mother of two who suffer. One bright son who once entered the Naval Academy now sits for life in prison. Took the lives of 3 people he loved beyond words. Another son well educated who has PTSD bipolar and more. Each of them had missed opportunities of help.Currently my son was doing well had excellent care in Nashua but is back to med concerns again because he does not receive attention. Appointments cancelled meds not correctly monitored through labs or what a prominent doctor advised to follow when he was discharged from Nashua. The gaps of treatment are terrible. We need to help people when they want to take control of their disease and addictions.
May 5, 2019
I am disgusted that we have this homeless issue! If you are a refugee and come to the United States you get everything – free or discounted housing, social security disability, free food, free health and dental and start your new life. All these grants and federal money for the refugee’s to help them and no one helping the homeless. If you come here to the United States you need to start at 1 – get a full time job, work, pay into social security – we owe it to the homeless and the ones with mental health issues – not those coming over demanding that we owe them – we don’t owe them anything.