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May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Tri-County Independent - 5/19/2021

May 19—MILFORD — A resolution was passed by Pike County Commissioners, May 5, for Mental Health Awareness Month.

Jen Fuentes, representing Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Development Services (MHDS), shared about the Green Light Campaign underway in May to further public awareness of resources that are available to them, and to reduce the stigma often associated with mental health issues. They are collaborating with System of Care to facilitate a lot of their projects that share these goals.

Numerous places have lit their facilities in green as part of the Green Light Campaign, including the correctional facility, commissioners' building, borough hall and schools, she said.

They are also doing billboard messaging on Route 6; distributing posters with tear-off pads; coffee sleeves for area coffee shops and a brochure, all containing information on where to find help for mental health issues.

Self Care Contest

The Self Care Contest is being promoted on social media. Anyone who has a way or activity to take care of their own mental health, may take a 'selfie" photo and submit it, for uploading to MDHS' Instagram and Facebook pages. A winner will be selected, for a $50 gift card.

Self-care are ways to provide relief from stress and overwhelming emotions, as described by MDHS.

Another innovation is use of a green "duckie" to help stop mental health stigma and have fun at the same time, Fuentes explained, holding up the little duck toy. These are being given out as a way to help people talk about mental health. MDHS hopes to be able to host races with these "Stop the Stigma" duckies, in all three counties next year. She said the Scouts or school districts may be able to help build some sort of water-filled drainage system to race the duckies.

Where to get help

According to MDHS, more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness in their lifetime. One in five Americans experience mental illness each year. There is no single cause for mental illness.

"You are not alone; help is a phone call, text or conservation away," the agency states.

Phone numbers being promoted by the Green Light Campaign to call for help in a mental health crisis include:

Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Development Services: 1-800-338-6467

— New Perspectives Crisis: 1-570-992-0879

— Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

— Suicide Prevention Text Line: "Hello" to 741741

— National Warm Line: 1-855-284-2494.

Visit online at http://www.cmpmhds.org and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMPMHDS/

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