Mental Health Awareness Month Underway in CT with Renewed Commitment

Throughout this month – designated as Mental Health Awareness Month – Mental Health Connecticut (MHC) is dedicating the days of the week to a specific theme as that day’s conversation starter. Each week, members of the community will lead the conversation, sharing an intimate peak into how they face life’s challenges. The campaign can be seen each day at www.mhconn.org/letsfaceit and on social media @mentalhealthct. 

With mental health having become a greater priority in recent years in all areas of people’s lives - from home to the workplace to school and in our communities - MHC wants Connecticut residents to know that everyone’s journey to health and wellness is different. Knowing you are not alone, officials point out, as well as that there is no one way to respond to life’s challenges, especially stigma, underscores that having the resources to get help is critical. 

“Giving voice to one’s experience with a mental health condition, trauma, or any life-changing event is one of the most powerful tools to combat stigma and shame. It’s clear that organizations such as ConnectiCare and others recognize the importance of preventative measures for our health, which is critical now more than ever,” said Luis B. Perez, President & CEO of Mental Health Connecticut.

For Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2023, Mental Health Connecticut (MHC) is raising $75,000 to bring its award-winning arts and wellness program to Hartford with a new partnership with the Hispanic Health Council (HHC). MHC is also bringing back its #LetsFaceIt campaign and asking others to join the conversation around the impact of stigma, along with how and where people are finding support.  ConnectiCare, a leading health plan in Connecticut since 1981, has signed on once again as MHC’s primary sponsor, with a generous donation of $23,000 for 2023.

As a longtime partner of MHC, ConnectiCare chose to support the campaign as a part of its ongoing commitment to creating healthier futures for Connecticut residents. Stamford Health and Lockton Companies have also signed on as top level sponsors for the campaign. In total, there are 14 sponsors and community partners supporting the #LetsFaceIt campaign in 2023. 

“Supporting Mental Health Connecticut is one of the many ways ConnectiCare gives back to the people of Connecticut,” said Kimberly Kann, AVP of Public Relations, ConnectiCare. “With the need for mental health support still so prevalent in our state, we’re proud to support the fundraising efforts of MHC’s Let’s Face it campaign. We encourage others to join us in advocating for mental health and wellness during Mental Health Awareness Month and year-round.” 

MHC is bringing in partner organizations such as Yoga In Our City, CT Voice, and the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) to help lead the conversation around mental health and wellness each week. 

“In 2021-22 the Connecticut Historical Society’s exhibition Common Struggle, Individual Experience: An Exhibition about Mental Health, presented by Hartford Healthcare was designed to present and explore an understanding of how people have struggled with mental health throughout history to help us support one another today. 

We partnered with many individuals and organizations, including Mental Health Connecticut, to share stories and perspectives of those in the past and the present day who faced personal struggles with mental health. The exhibition can still be viewed at chs.org, and we’re proud to partner again with Mental Health Connecticut to bring these stories to light,” Robert A. Kret, Executive Director and CEO of the Connecticut Historical Society 

MHC is also asking community members to support the expansion of its award-winning arts and wellness programming at The Family Wellness and Cultural Heritage Center. Through a partnership with the Hispanic Health Council (HHC), MHC will bring the Art of Wellbeing to Hartford. Individuals and community groups can donate or start an online fundraiser through MHC’s website to support the cause.  

The HHC’s vision of ensuring Hispanics and other diverse populations reach their fullest potential and achieve a healthy and fulfilled life aligns with MHC’s vision of creating a future where wellbeing is rooted in respect for the condition of being human and the organization’s mission of creating environments that support long-term health and wellness. Both organizations believe that fostering individual creative expression in safe, supportive spaces results in healthy, vibrant communities.

Established by Clifford Beers in 1908, MHC is committed to the mental health and wellness of all Connecticut residents through advocacy, education, and service. MHC is CARF-accredited and a Platinum Level Bell Seal recipient of Mental Health America’s Workplace for Mental Health certification.

“Mental Health Connecticut's mission is to partner with individuals, families, and communities to create environments that support long-term health and wellness. We measure success by our ability to support the recovery journey and help individuals obtain a safe home, achieve whole health, realize a meaningful purpose, and develop connections in the community.” For more information about MHC, go to: www.mhconn.org  

Mental Health Awareness Month was created in 1949 by MHC’s national affiliate, Mental Health America, to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone. MHA’s 2023 Mental Health Month campaign is focused on how surroundings impact mental health, and MHC is urging individual’s to look around, look within.

Additional information can be seen at https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month.