CREATE A STIGMA FREE COMMUNITY
- Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how a person thinks, feels, and interacts with others.
- A person’s mental health determines how they cope with the stresses of life, interact with others and make decisions.
- Create a community free of prejudice against those with mental health issues by implementing community events geared towards reducing the stigma of mental health.
BE THE FIRST!
Tell the Mayors Wellness Campaign what you did so we can spotlight your work here!
ACTION STEPS
Spread the Word
- Endorse Mental Health Awareness Month in May by promoting links to mental health resources and local services that support the community, particularly residents with mental illness.
- Consider partnering with groups like Shatterproof, that spread the word to end mental health stigma.
- Work with local partners through the New Jersey affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Meditate
- Create community events in partnership with local professionals focused on meditation. Events might include yoga, mindful meditation, or a breathing techniques class.
- School-based meditation events are a great way to incorporate youth.
- At each event, educate participants about mental health, offer anti-stigma materials, and discuss the importance of meditation for mental health.
Stigma-Free Journals
- Advocate for a stigma-free, mental health-positive township.
- Offer community events where residents can discuss or write about their experience with mental illness.
- Involve local public health officials, social workers, and local health care professionals.
Get the Experts
- Partner with your local hospital, clinic, or other health care providers that provide mental health services such as counseling for your residents.
- Invite mental health professionals to speak at community workshops and events to provide a clinical perspective on mental health issues and the negative impact of existing stigmas.
MORE RESOURCES
Mental Health America: An Index of Mental Health Information
Role of Community and Faith Leaders in Mental Health
Project Helping: Ideas for Ending the Stigma
National Academies Press: Four Approaches to Reducing Stigma
Nine Ways to Fight Mental Health Stigma