May is Mental Health Awareness Month! The message this year from National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is "Together For Mental Health". NAMI joins the national movement to raise awareness, fight stigma, and educate the public about mental health. It's OK to not be ok.

Throughout this pandemic, we have faced isolation, turmoil and unrest, and a growing number of Americans experienced mental health symptoms. We’ve learned through this experience that we ALL struggle during challenging times and need support and access to care so we can thrive.

Did you know mental illness affects more than 50 million people in the U.S? The statistics below comes from studies conducted by organizations like Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Justice.

* 1 in 6 youth aged 6–17 experience a mental health condition each year
* 1 in 5 adults in the US experiences a serious mental health condition each year
* Half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24

*Annually, mental illness affects:
* 14% of Asian adults
* 17% of African American/Black adults
* 17% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adults
* 18% of Hispanic/Latino adults
* 19% of American Indian/Alaska Native adults
* 22% of White adults
* 36% of Multiracial adults
* 47% of Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual adults

* Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10–34 and the 10th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.
* Stigma and discrimination have silenced those living with mental health conditions. We can change that!
* Therapy is available in person or virtually!

There is a free nationwide, NAMI HelpLine. HelpLine volunteers answer questions, offer support, and provide resources and referrals.

They can be reached Monday through Friday, from 10AM-10PM at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).

If you need immediate assistance with a mental health concern, contact the 24/7 Long Island Crisis Center at (516) 679-1111.

You can also connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7, confidential crisis support via text message. Text NAMI to 741-741

You can learn more at www.nami.org/together4mh.

Please reach out to your School Social Workers if you have any questions. You are NOT alone! We are all in this together! #Together4MH #MentalHealthMatters

Date Added: 5/2/2022