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Where mission
and heart meet Behavioral Health. |
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Thank you for joining us to recognize Mental Health Month this May! For the remaining days in 2023, perhaps we continue to ponder mental health. What about a framework like mental and emotional fitness and wellness? A framework that expects intentionality and action toward that fitness, expects good and bad days, expects that at times specialists in the different areas of life that impact mental and emotional fitness and wellness will need to be consulted and their advice considered for implementation into daily routine.
The world needs each of our one-of-a-kind voices, influences, and ways of being in the world. To bring our unique and essential “ness” into the world – we each have the opportunity to accept and act on our responsibility to be attending to our mental wellness, mental fitness, mental health. Join me, in working to actively practice mental wellness and mental fitness throughout this year, one day at a time.
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Mental health month raises awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone.
Mental health is an important part of our overall health. It’s important to know that we all, at some point in our lives, have depression, anxiety, ongoing anger and other difficult feelings that don’t go away easily or quickly. There are effective treatments that can help us regain our mental health and wellness. And for those of us — nearly one in five — who live with mental illness, wellness and recovery is possible.
Thinking about mental health
Most people can name lots of ways to measure physical health. You don’t need a doctor to know you are OK.
Mental health is harder to define. We have good mental health when we can manage our emotions. People who can name their feelings and talk about them are better at getting out of a slump. They notice what they are feeling and are quicker to figure out why they feel stressed. That makes it easier to choose what to do the next time to relax and feel better.
For families
Parent or caregivers can teach children how to identify and talk about their feelings. The ways we act when we are angry, upset, worried, sad, or happy and joyful effect how children will behave when they feel those things. We can also talk with children about how we handle stress and stay calm when under pressure.
Most importantly, we can let children know that they matter. We can help them see that everyone, of any age, with any abilities, has value and can help others. Each of us can make a difference. Showing children how they fit in will help them see meaning in life as they grow. And having a purpose can help us through even the toughest and most troubling times.
Parents and caregivers can help children develop helpful mental health habits. Let’s start today.
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Join us on Monday, May 22 at the Say It Out Loud (SIOL) Conference.
The conference strives to provide space to educate and share knowledge with attendees to better serve and support LGBTQ+ individuals and their families.
Details:
Date: May 22
Theme: Let's Get "Reel"
Registration fee: $75
Keynote speaker: Roo Ramos
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HCA is hosting a FIT live feedback seminar on June 20 for youth, parents, and providers to provide feedback on their experiences accessing FIT services.
Details:
Date: June 20
Time: 12 to 12:30 p.m.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Meeting id: 243 080 722 354
Passcode: mqGvfU
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The P-25 legislative implementation webinar series returns this August.
The webinar series is dedicated to the legislative implementation of P-25 programs.
The series provides an environment to learn about the programs, how the work is being implemented, and the current progress to date.
Details:
Date: August 8
Time 3:05 to 4 p.m.
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The Prenatal-25 Lifespan Section is thrilled to announce the launch of our latest mental health toolkits. We are committed to promoting mental well-being and providing support to our communities. These toolkits are designed to provide resources and communication materials to prioritize mental health in today’s fast-paced world.
Mental health is a vital aspect of overall well-being, and we recognize the challenges that many individuals face in managing their mental health during life’s demands.
Among Washington youth mental health continues to be a significant challenge, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in school environments. Healthy Youth Survey data indicate that many young people are experiencing symptoms associated with depression and anxiety as well as suicide ideation. While many nationwide efforts to have shed light on the youth behavioral health crisis, including the Surgeon General’s youth mental health advisory issued in 2021, much remains to be done to reduce stigma for youth experiencing behavioral health challenges as well as for caregivers of children and youth who may be struggling.
Part of reducing stigma involves how we communicate and educate about mental health. By socializing mental wellness as a positive concept, encouraging help-seeking behaviors, and promoting low-barrier and easy-to-access resources, we can move from awareness to acceptance.
Our toolkits are specifically developed to be used by any community partner, organization, or individual in the hopes that we can share the message of hope, resilience, and inclusivity. The No Shame in Your Brain toolkit is designed to address youth and young adults and includes free, confidential resources in English and Spanish that are accessible via text, phone, or social media. The Mental Health month toolkit addresses behavioral health needs across the lifespan and includes resources for the prenatal-5 lifespan as well as caregivers.
The toolkits are available to all and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. We are excited to offer these toolkits as a part of our commitment to promoting mental health and well-being, and we hope they will be valuable assets to you and your networks.
We encourage each of you to utilize these resources, share them on social media to raise awareness, and most importantly prioritize own well-being.
If you have any question or feedback, please contact us.
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First episode psychosis refers to when a person first shows signs of perceptual changes and loss of contact with reality. Psychosis is a medical condition that may include confusing and perplexing symptoms, such as irrational behaviors, thoughts, and experiences that are sometimes frightening. The person experiencing symptoms may withdraw and not understand what is happening to them. Some symptoms may be dismissed or overlooked as typical for adolescence.
Due to the stigma, vulnerability, and the complexity of psychosis, many young people and their families do not get help. Many of these youth end up in Washington’s emergency rooms, jails, and homeless shelters. Family and support systems become stressed and overwhelmed.
The longer a person goes untreated, the more treatment-resistant symptoms can become. This can result in premature death, multiple hospitalizations, overall poor health outcomes, and increased long-term health care costs over their lifetime.
Early intervention can change the course of the illness over a lifetime. New perspectives on recovery and resiliency do not focus on the severity or persistence of psychiatric symptoms, but rather on the person’s ability to experience a rewarding and meaningful life
If you are worried that you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of psychosis, seek help. Often the best place to start is a primary care provider; however, if you or your loved one is in danger of hurting themselves or others, you may need to call for emergency assistance. It’s helpful to assess the situation before deciding who to call.
Resources
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Racism is a mental health issue because racism causes trauma and isn’t always caused by major events.
Every day, people of color experience far more subtle traumas:
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People who avoid them and their neighborhoods out of ignorance and fear.
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Banks and credit companies who won’t lend them money or do so only at higher interest rates.
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Mass incarceration of their peers, even observed in the media.
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School curricula that ignore or minimize their contributions to our shared history; and
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Racial profiling.
Learn more
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