Mental Health: A Public Health Emergency

May is Mental Health Awareness Month because it was first established in 1949 by Mental Health America to raise awareness about mental health and well-being.

The month aims to educate the public, reduce stigma, promote open conversations, and celebrate recovery from mental illness.

At a time when major cutbacks are being made by the current administration, it is essential that we focus on providing mental healthcare for our citizens and continue to support programs providing care to the most vulnerable members of society.

Dr. Michael Sapp will discuss the importance of looking at mental health as a public health emergency with our host, Elaine Miller-Karas, a world-reknown trauma therapist.

The impact of traumatic experiences on individual and community health is widespread. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), "Traumatic events and loss are common in people's lives."

There is a need to quickly establish programs that provide timely psychological counseling and intervention to alleviate anxiety and improve general mental health.

Health and community care systems led by a cadre of psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, chaplains, social workers, marriage and family therapists, nurses, peer counselors and physicians have brought the community resiliency model concepts and skills into medical clinics, community mental health and resiliency programs, shelters for the unhoused, and hospitals.

Dr. Sapp will discuss how models like the Community Resiliency need to be scaled to meet the public health emergency of mental health conditions faced by children, teens and adults.