Mental Health

For more than 70 years, May has been Mental Health Awareness Month. Within the Baltimore-Washington Conference, we encourage you to use this time to help break down the stigma surrounding mental illness and work to bring health and wholeness to all people.

Approximately one in five adults In the United States, experience a mental illness in a given year. For children aged 8–15, 13 percent will experience some sort of mental health challenges.

Mental illness does not discriminate. It affects men and women of all ages, races, and social classes.

Mind, body, and soul, we encourage you and your congregation to observe Mental Health Awareness Month and offer these resources for your on-going ministry.

 

Launch of the 988 Partner Toolkit          

Did you know that Emergency Department visits for attempted suicide have risen 51 percent among adolescent girls? We want to make sure faith and community leaders are aware that 988 will be launching later this year as a new dialing code to connect with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).  Last week, HHS announced the availability of the 988 Partner Toolkit providing key messages, FAQs and more information about what 988 is and how it will work. These materials are designed to cover the basics of 988 and provide a strong foundation from which partners can build for their audience-specific needs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) welcomes partner efforts, testing with specific audiences and sharing those learnings with others. Learn more.