MAY is Mental Health Awareness Month

The Mental Health Ministry Committee and Diversified Learners Committee are inviting each Catholic school and parish in the Archdiocese of Seattle to take a step as a sign of communion, solidarity and subsidiarity during the month of May for Mental Health Awareness Month.

People with mental problems are our neighbors. They are members of our congregations, members of our families; they are everywhere in this country. If we ignore their cries for help, we will be continuing to participate in the anguish from which those cries for help come. A problem of this magnitude will not go away. Because it will not go away, and because of our spiritual commitments, we are compelled to take action. (Rosalynn Carter)

DID YOU KNOW …

• The magnitude of mental illness in this country is staggering. According to the Surgeon General, one in every five Americans experiences a mental disorder in any given year and half of all Americans have such disorders at some time in their lives. These illnesses of the brain affect all of us, regardless of age, gender, economic status or ethnicity.
• Mental illness affects the mind, body and the spirit. It is a real, common and treatable illness. Mental illnesses are far more common than cancer, diabetes, heart disease or arthritis.
• Our faith communities can be an important part of the recovery process through education, support and by helping individuals and families feel part of a caring community.

MAY HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

Look for community events to highlight mental health issues affecting children, adolescents, adults and older adults. This is an opportunity to educate your faith community about mental illness and help them become caring congregations for persons with a mental illness am their families. Visit these websites for resources.

• Mental Health Resources – vetted by the Mental Health Ministry Committee
• NAMI FaithNet at www.nami.org/namifaithnet
• Mental Health Ministries at www.MentalHealthMinistries.net
• Pathways to Promise at www.Pathways2Promise.org
• International Bipolar Foundation at www.internationalbipolarfoundation.org
• MAY – Mental Health Awareness Month – flyer to share
• Mental Health First Aid Trainings

RESOURCES to consider sharing within your communities

• Interested in starting your own parish-school Mental Health Ministry Committee?  We have guidance to share to help you achieve this important pastoral goal!  Developing a Mental Health Ministry document.
• For your school or parish front offices – Mental Health Ministry Brochures available in ENGLISH and SPANISH.  
• NEED IMMEDIATE HELP?  Who to call???  Check out the Mental Health Resources List – vetted and updated as of 1.30.19.
• Say It Out Loud Video for teens. One in five teens lives with a mental health condition and yet more than half are not getting the help they need. Stigma remains a barrier to teens seeking help.Raising awareness by sharing information and starting conversations about mental health is key in reducing stigma and increasing the likelihood that teens will seek mental health care when they need it. NAMI created Say it Out Loud to get teens talking about mental health.Say it Out Loud gives adults the tools they need to hold conversations about mental health with teens. The toolkit includes: A short film featuring three teen’s experiences; a discussion guide; a narrated presentation for the facilitator; fact sheets and information about connecting with your local NAMI. Check it out here.
• Tuesday, May 21st  6-9 pm – FREE!  Evergreen Health in Kirkland is having a free showing of the documentary LIKE.  Evergreen Health, 12040 NE 128th St. Kirkland 98034 The LIKE movie – a documentary about the impact of social media on our lives. Program consists of resource fair from 6-7pm; film screening from 7-8:30pm; panel discussion from 8:30-9pm.  https://www.thelikemovie.com/