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Mental health, wellness coalition launches public awareness campaign

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition has launched a public awareness campaign to help residents become more informed about mental health and connect with local organizations that provide free and low cost services.

newspaperThe Coalition premiered its new Help Happens Here public awareness campaign on May 17th to  promote information about local mental health and substance use disorder services through a campaign website, an information and referral line, and print advertising.

Designed and conceived by local mental health providers and local graphic designers who volunteered their time through the Charlottesville Design Marathon, the Help Happens Here Campaign shares the message that anyone can be affected by mental health and substance use concerns, and encourages individuals to reach out for help when they need it. The Help Happens Here website, and the corresponding referral line, operated by Partner for Mental Health are important new services to help individuals get connected with local services.

Each year, one in five adults is impacted by some kind of mental health concern; and according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), two of the top reasons individuals do not get treatment is that they do not have health coverage and they do not know where to go to get help. Member organizations for the Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition hope that this campaign will provide the necessary information and resources to assist those seeking care.

The Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition is a multi-disciplinary group composed of over twenty different organizations with a mission of collaborating to promote behavioral health and wellness through planning, advocacy, and access to effective service delivery for our region.

For more information about the campaign, go to www.helphappenshere.org.

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