How to take Mental Health Awareness Month seriously and begin to make a difference …

Local, state, and federal governments issue proclamations recognizing a day, a week, or a month for a specific “awareness” so often that our calendars could hardly contain them all.

But some of those observances are more important than others, and I’ll be the first to say I’m biased in believing that Mental Health Awareness Month in May is one such national observance I believe we ALL need to take seriously.

That’s because “there’s no health without mental health,” and America is experiencing a mental health crisis of record proportions. This country was already facing a mental health crisis prior to the onset of COVID-19, and the pandemic, widespread civil unrest, and a contentious election year has greatly exacerbated that into what really is a mental health disaster. And we haven’t even seen and experienced the full and long-lasting repercussions of the pandemic on mental health yet!

Now, more than any time in our lifetime, we need to get serious about real mental health issues and mental illness.

Scott Free Clinic will be working diligently in a variety of ways to help inform and educate the public about mental health this month. It’s important to not waste this national observance but to literally accomplish something regarding mental health before this month passes, and then continue to build on those gains going forward. With that said, let me offer seven ways you can take Mental Health Awareness Month more seriously with some actions you can take to begin to make a difference:

1. Tend to YOUR mental health needs. If you have been ignoring tending well to your own mental health needs, or getting help with a diagnosable mental illness, now is the time to start properly and adequately meeting your mental health needs. If you’re struggling with a mental illness, don’t delay any longer in getting the professional help you need. Most mental health illnesses can either be overcome with competent treatment, or can be managed so that you can live a full, healthy, and joyful life.

2. Educate yourself and share what you learn. The number one reason why people who need clinical counseling don’t get the help they need is due to stigma. Stigma regarding experiencing a mental illness is still STRONG (even in the church and among church leaders) and is often due to ignorance — a lack of information and understanding about what is mental health and what is mental illness (they are NOT the same thing), and how to best interact with and support people with mental health needs or a diagnosis of mental illness. Let’s be blunt about something — in our era of information and technology, there is no excuse for anyone to remain ignorant and uninformed about mental health and mental illness. Just a single hour of conducting online searches can serve up more articles, videos, reports, stories, data, and various information that can contribute to informing and educating you. Additionally, there are books, videos, podcasts, professionals and organizations (including Scott Free Clinic) that provide a plethora of information about mental health and mental illness to anyone willing to access it. So use this month to begin to inform and educate yourself, and as you go, be generous in sharing what you learn with others.

3. Become a support to people in your life with mental health needs or mental illness. Instead of avoiding or stigmatizing the people in your life (with one in four adults experiencing a mental illness, you DO know someone with mental health needs) with mental health issues, start to serve them. Learn about their needs and how you can be a help or support to them, then make yourself available. Often people just need to know you care, and are greatly encouraged by your understanding and encouragement. Sometimes they may need more help, and you can learn about that as you extend yourself to serve others.

4. Do everything you can to make sure your local church is a welcoming, accepting, caring, and supportive place for people with mental health needs and mental illness.

5. Consider taking advantage of a special offer to learn about the serious issue of suicide and what you can do about it. The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is currently offering their “HF3R” Hope-Focused suicide prevention training for anyone interested in taking it. The training is a three-hour, on-demand, video-based training, and you can get all of the details by clicking here. There is a cost of $39 per person, but for groups of five people or more that is reduced to $29 per person. Check it out and consider taking the training and perhaps recruiting a small group from your church or community to take it with you.

6. Become a certified Mental Health Coach First Responder for your local church – YOU CAN DO THIS FOR FREE! I am so excited to tell you about this FANTASTIC opportunity provided for FREE by the AACC. With a huge mental health crisis in our country, the AACC is working to recruit 5,000 churches and 22,000 people to take their 40-hour, three-course certification training program to equip willing people to serve in their churches as certified Mental Health Coach First Responders, and this certification training is offered by the AACC for FREE! Click here for the details. Just imagine the difference it would make if EVERY church had at least one church or staff member who was a certified Mental Health Coach to serve as “first responders” to people in their churches or communities with mental health needs!

7. Become a regular Care Partner with Scott Free Clinic to support providing critically needed services to help people change their lives. Click here for a video that explains how Scott Free Clinic is working to remove the barriers of cost and access to serve people all across the country and around the world. With your support, we can stabilize and streamline our ministry service delivery and help many more people in need. Further, stay connected with this ministry as an ongoing means of being informed and educated about mental health and mental illness; you can do this by subscribing for free to our blog here, subscribing to our Newsletter for free here, and consider becoming a Prayer Partner with us (more about that here).

Whether you do any of these suggestions, or you know better ways for you to take action, I just encourage you to not let this month pass without growing in your understanding of mental health and mental illness, and taking some kind of action to support people with mental health needs.

In His Service,

Dr. James Scott, Jr.
Founder & President,
Scott Free Clinic