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| Kevin Barclay (center) and Leslie Kent (center right) from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Western Slope accept the Mental Health Awareness Month proclamation presented by the Mesa County Commissioners on Monday, May 17, 2021. |
The Board of Mesa County Commissioners proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month to increase public understanding of the importance of mental health and to promote identification and treatment of mental illnesses.
The Board urges community members to make a difference by helping end the silence and stigma that has surrounded mental illness for too long and discouraged people from getting help.
Early identification and treatment can make a profound difference in the successful management of mental illness and recovery.
- One in four adults experiences mental health problems in any given year, and such problems can contribute to the onset of mental illness.
- One in 17 adults lives with mental illness such as major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.
- Approximately one-half of chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 and three-quarters by age 24.
Public education and civic activities can encourage mental health and help improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Click here to read the Mental Health Awareness Month proclamation.