May is National Mental Health Awareness Month

This month, the nation celebrates mental health awareness month. This year's theme is "Take The Moment," which promotes the importance of destigmatizing mental health by normalizing the practice of taking moments to prioritize mental health care.

For our schools, the simple act of publicly acknowledge that they are going to "take a moment" models for students a simple act that empowers them to self-reflect and do the same. 

1 in 6 U.S. youth experience a mental health condition each year, and only half of them receive treatment.  (NAMI Mental Health by the Numbers)

How You Can Help

There are many ways to support students, raise awareness, and increase access to mental health resources.

• Know the warning signs that may indicate a person is struggling with a mental health concern.

• Promote the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number so that everyone knows how they can immediately connect with a crisis counselor.

• Share with students the new peer resource "Talk to Us" offered through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The Teen and Young Adult Helpline is a safe space for students to connect with a trained peer who pulls from their own experiences to answer questions and talk about available resources and supports.