The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is encouraging residents to recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month by participating in Green Light Project NE. The goal of the initiative is to increase awareness of mental health, reduce stigma, and encourage conversations by lighting homes and businesses in Lincoln and Lancaster County in green, displaying yard signs, and sharing resources on social media.
One in five Americans experiences a mental health condition each year, and almost half of the population will face a diagnosable disorder in their lifetime, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“It’s been my experience through years of working in the field that people who need help may not start looking for resources until the situation has become critical,” says Teri Effle, Lancaster County Prevention Coalition and Region 5 Prevention Specialist. “Part of that is due to the stigma that surrounds struggles with our mental health.
Effle says they know from research that early intervention leads to better outcomes. ” So making it normal and safe for everyone to have conversations about their mental health is an important step toward those talks happening sooner and people getting connected to the help they need as early as possible.”
Experts say open conversations about mental health are crucial to creating a more supportive community. For addition details on this story click here.