County encourages participation in ‘Mental Health Awareness Month’
Behavioral Health welcomes the community to partake in county-wide events
– The County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department is celebrating May Mental Health Awareness Month by hosting community-wide events to promote wellness, resiliency, and recovery.
One in five adults currently lives with a mental illness, which totaled more than 52.9 million Americans in 2020 (National Institute of Mental Health). Taking care of one’s mental health is one of the most important ways to achieve overall wellness but has become challenging over the last two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many turned to important at-home self-care tools and grounding practices to cope with their negative mental health symptoms, the county wants to remind everyone that knowing when to seek professional help for your symptoms is vital.
“Reaching out for help remains one of the largest barriers to receiving care. In 2020, only 46.2-percent of American adults with mental illness received direct services,” says Behavioral Health Director Anne Robin. “Self-care at home is a great tool and has helped many through hard days, especially during the pandemic. However, if you are noticing your mental health has not improved since the pandemic, or you are experiencing prolonged symptoms like hopelessness, isolation, sleeplessness, or lack of motivation, it may be time to take further action and reach out for more support.”
Maintaining good mental health and reaching out for support are two things the county wishes to make easier this month through a series of events in May. The department is partnering with SLO Food Bank and several local middle schools to provide community members with resource kits that contain tools to help residents to maintain their mental wellness and information about local mental health services available.
In addition to these events, the department will be hosting its annual Bike Breakfast on May 18, 2022, in San Luis Obispo from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The free event, which promotes both Bike Month and Mental Health Awareness month, is an excellent way to show community support and recognize the benefits of physical exercise for one’s mental health.
Complete event details for Mental Health Awareness month events can be found online by visiting www.slocounty.ca.gov/MayMH. The website includes downloadable resources and activities meant to inspire the community to take care of their mental health.
Residents may access mental health services and treatment by calling the SLO Behavioral Health’s access line at 1-800-838-1381.
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