NCCMH announces events for May is Mental Health Month
PETOSKEY — North Country Community Mental Health (NCCMH) has planned multiple events and activities to raise awareness for May is Mental Health Month.
This year's theme is “Where To Start: Mental Health in a Changing World.” The theme is intended to serve as a reminder that dealing with life’s pressures can be overwhelming, and everyone deserves to feel supported and empowered to seek help when needed.
“Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable,” said NCCMH Chief Executive Officer Brian Babbitt. “While society is getting more comfortable discussing mental health, it can still be hard to know where to start when it comes to taking care of your own well-being.”
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NCCMH has planned the following activities in May:
Color Fun Run & Walk: The 24th Annual Splash of Color Fun Run & Walk for Mental Health Awarenesswill take place on Saturday, May 18 at the Festival Place Shelter in Petoskey. The Fun Run is a 5K course with colorful checkpoints. There will also be a Walk for Mental Health Awareness for anyone not running the 5K. The run will begin at 10 a.m. and the walk at 10:30 a.m. All proceeds from the event are donated to the Client Special Needs Fund. Cost is $10 per person. Register at eventbrite.com or tinyurl.com/sczbc7rz or on the morning of from 9-9:30 a.m.
Creative Writing and Art Display: From May 1-31, people can view the finished creative writing pieces that were developed at a Write It! Writer’s Workshop in April at the Petoskey District Library.
Mental Health First Aid Free Virtual Trainings for the Community: Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) classes will be offered twice in May: on May 2 and 3, and May 6 and 17, all from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Adult MHFA class will be May 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The public is invited to register at tinyurl.com/39huxa9f or tinyurl.com/4fw5prdd.
#Tools4Resilience Virtual Education Series: From 12-1 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday in May, NCCMH will team up with Northern Lakes CMH to provide a virtual education program on a variety of mental health/well-being topics. Register for one or all of the talks at forms.office.com/r/6fYkHuQMdU. The topics include Social Media and Mental Health, Protecting Yourself Online with IT experts, Stories of Hope and Recovery and more.
Free Community Movies: At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21 at the Brutus Friendship Center and on Tuesday, May 28 at the Petoskey Friendship Center, there will be a free viewing of the movie, "Skid Row Marathon." At both locations there will also be a short presentation on mental health and aging after the movie.
Free Family-Friendly Community Events: Staff from each of NCCMH’s six community-based clinics are planning a series of fun and informative events and activities to support various aspects of mental health and well-being. In Petoskey, staff will host a "Grow Through What You Go Through" event from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21 at the Bear River Shelter Park where attendees will learn self-care activities and boost mental health practices while reconnecting with nature. In Cheboygan, a "Recipe for Mental Health" event from 1-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15 at the North Country Cheboygan office will feature wellness “chefs” helping visitors to complete a “plate” of fun, interactive activities to support resiliency and wellness. In Charlevoix, the "Mental Health and Finding Balance in a Digital World" event from 1-4 p.m. on Thursday, May 23 at the Charlevoix Public Library will let guests visit a variety of booths, each with an activity and information about wellness and balance, with or without digital supports. In Gaylord, staff will host a "Mental Health on Main" event from 1-4 p.m. on Thursday, May 23 at the Pavilion on Court with activities directed toward learning how modern life affects mental health, building your coping toolbox and advocating to improve mental health for yourself, your friends and family, and your community.
21-Day Stigma Challenge: The Northwest Community Health Innovation Region’s Behavioral Health Initiative is launching a 21-Day Stigma Challenge on May 1. This challenge is designed to educate residents and stakeholders from every sector about the negative effects of stigma against mental illness and substance use disorders, how to recognize it and provide tools to fight it. Anyone may participate by signing up at tinyurl.com/bdfwhzpv.
NCCMH provides services to residents of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Kalkaska and Otsego counties experiencing a serious mental illness, severe emotional problem, or intellectual/developmental disability, including individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder. Persons wishing to know more about NCCMH are encouraged to visit norcocmh.org or to access services call (877) 470-7130.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: NCCMH announces events for May is Mental Health Month