Governor McKee, Federal and State leaders, community partners team up to host Rhode Island’s Second Annual ‘Mental Health Action Day’

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee on Friday hosted a two-hour Fb Reside occasion in observance of Rhode Island’s second annual ‘Psychological Well being Motion Day.’ The occasion featured state, federal and neighborhood leaders taking motion to finish the stigma surrounding psychological well being and substance use issues. Through the occasion, Governor McKee signed a proclamation declaring Could 20 ‘Psychological Well being Motion Day’ in Rhode Island.

As the worldwide dialog round psychological well being continues – together with the White Home’s new unity agenda technique to deal with psychological well being in america – discovering efficient sources and realizing find out how to get assist stays a problem. Rhode Island’s Psychological Well being Motion Day encourages individuals to take their first steps in the direction of psychological well being motion – whether or not for themselves, for his or her family members or to advocate for systemic modifications via a variety of instruments.

“The final two years have exacerbated psychological well being challenges, particularly for younger individuals, but in addition have inspired us to speak about them extra brazenly,” mentioned Governor McKee. “At the moment, it can be crucial that we come collectively as Rhode Islanders with the frequent objective of fixing the narrative surrounding psychological well being. It’s our objective to reinforce the neighborhood of helps and providers – and present people who assist is on the market.”

Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, Lt. Governor Sabina Matos, Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, and Normal Treasurer Seth Magaziner joined Governor McKee to launch the inaugural occasion.

Govt Workplace of Well being and Human Providers Appearing Secretary Ana Novais; Rhode Island Division of Training Commissioner Angélica Infante-Inexperienced; Division of Behavioral Well being, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals Director Richard Charest; Workplace of Veterans Providers Director Kasim Yarn; and Adjutant Normal and Commanding Normal of the Rhode Island Nationwide Guard Christopher Callahan, in addition to neighborhood companions, joined Governor McKee on the occasion calling consideration to psychological well being and wellness, and guaranteeing all Rhode Islanders have entry to important sources.

“Within the wake of the pandemic, our skill to prioritize psychological well being and substance use issues is extra necessary than ever,” mentioned EOHHS Appearing Secretary Novais. “Normalizing motion, not simply consciousness, is crucial to restoring our collective well-being and ushering in a brand new period of psychological well being fairness. The Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Activity Power is devoted to our mission of saving lives. We are also persevering with our collective efforts to ship helps and providers that meet the precise wants of Rhode Islanders and permit them to be wholesome, protected and unbiased.”

The primary panel throughout the Fb Reside occasion featured Commissioner Infante-Inexperienced and Rosemary Reilly-Chammat, Faculty Well being Coverage and Program Specialist, talking about psychological well being and wellness for college age youngsters. Youngsters’ Hyperlink RI is on the market 24 hours a day, seven days every week to assist youngsters and youth in want of psychological well being providers and refer them to therapy suppliers. Contact Youngsters’ Hyperlink RI at 855-543-5465.

The Vet Middle gave a presentation on packages and sources accessible, together with confidential assist for Veterans, service members, and their households. Providers embrace counseling for wants akin to melancholy, publish traumatic stress dysfunction, and the psychological results of army sexual trauma. The Windfall Vet Middle might be reached at 401-739-0167.

Care New England and the Govt Workplace of Well being and Human Providers offered on stopping bias in our neighborhood and our each day lives. Melancholy, anxiousness and suicide are frequent psychological well being situations related to missing a way of belonging. These situations can result in social behaviors that intrude with an individual’s skill to hook up with others, making a cycle of occasions that additional weakens a way of belonging.

Director Yarn, Main Normal Callahan, and Captain James McIver, Naval Station Newport mentioned lowering army psychological well being stigma, bettering therapy engagement, and sources accessible to Rhode Island’s lively obligation and Veteran populations. To attach with these sources, go to www.vets.ri.gov or name 401-921-2119.

EOHHS Appearing Secretary Novais and BHDDH Director Charest offered the work of the Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Activity Power. BH Hyperlink, Rhode Island’s one-stop, state-wide 24/7 call-in heart that connects individuals to acceptable care and sources, once they or somebody they care about is experiencing a behavioral healthcare disaster. Additionally it is a 24/7 community-based walk-in and drop-off facility the place clinicians can join individuals to fast, stabilizing emergency behavioral well being providers, and long-term care and restoration helps. Connect with BH Hyperlink at bhlink.org or by calling 401-414-LINK (5465).

Although extra individuals than ever are snug discussing psychological well being, some individuals wrestle discovering sources and realizing find out how to get assist is usually a problem. Rhode Island’s Psychological Well being Motion Day is driving tradition from psychological well being consciousness to psychological well being motion. The panelists provided tangible instruments for Rhode Islanders to take motion for themselves, for his or her family members, and for our neighborhood.

In closing the occasion, Director Yarn remarked: “If in case you have considerations about your individual, or a liked one’s psychological well being, don’t stay silent; please take motion, that’s what right this moment is all about. The underside line is that you’re not alone.”

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