May is Mental Health Awareness Month in Clinton County

LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Clinton County Commissioners have declared the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month in the county. The board approved the appropriate proclamation at its Thursday voting session.

The commissioners heard from Cathy Snyder, an executive board member with the National Alliance of Mental Illness of Northcentral Pennsylvania. She detailed her work with the organization and offered the success story of her daughter who 17 years ago needed residential treatment for an eating disorder. She learned then, Snyder said, the difficulties of obtaining assistance with insurance coverage and related areas.

The NAMI spokesperson said her daughter is fully recovered and assists those in need through speaking engagements. Snyder said she herself is active in the mental health organization which provides family support groups and other services.

Commissioner Angela Harding noted the Clinton County role in the mental health area, currently with a Virtual Mental Health Speaker Series which began in April. The program is funded by a Health Initiative for Rural PA grant from the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.

The series is streamed on the county’s Facebook page and will be archived for later view, according to Harding. The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, May 10 from 2 to 3:15 p.m., the speaker Abraham Sculley, his topic depression.

The proclamation:

PROCLAMATION: DESIGNATING MAY 2023 AS MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS MONTH

WHEREAS, mental health includes our emotional psychological, and social well-being; it affects people in our communities, how we think, feel, and act; it also affects how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices; and

WHEREAS, mental health allows us to maintain relationships, build strong communities, take care of ourselves, and our families, take care of our physical bodies, and respond and adapt to daily life changes; and

WHEREAS, it is reported that fifty percent (50%) of all lifetime Mental health disorders commonly begin at the age of 14 in adolescence and seventy five percent (75%) by the age of 24; Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14 and the 3rd leading cause of death among those aged 15-24 in the U.S; and

WHEREAS, a lack of mental health awareness leads to devastating impacts on the wellbeing of individuals and communities; Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.; and 46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition; and

WHEREAS, mental illness, unlike physical illness, cannot be diagnosed with a blood test; while each mental illness condition has a unique set of symptoms, those symptoms often overlap between different conditions which makes exact diagnosing difficult; treatment for mental illness is voluntary and takes time and persistence to see results; and often an individual suffering with a mental illness is not aware they are ill; and

WHEREAS, early warning signs often emerge at the onset or worsening of mental illness symptoms; and these warning signs include thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that significantly impair day-to-day functioning (i.e., feeling excessively sad or low); and early identification and treatment can make a profound difference in successful management of mental illness and recovery; and

WHEREAS, People with mental illness are overrepresented in our nation’s jails and prisons; and about 2 in 5 people who are incarcerated have a history of mental illness; and seventy percent (70%) of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health condition; and approximately 3 in 5 people with a history of mental illness do not receive mental health treatment while incarcerated in state and federal prisons; and

WHEREAS, Individuals in rural communities often face unique challenges when receiving and managing their mental health care; and rural Americans may travel two times as far to their nearest hospital or provider to receive treatment; and rural individuals are two times more likely to have limited access to broadband internet, limiting access to virtual care; and are more likely to reside in a Mental Health Professional shortage area, where there are too few providers to meet mental health demands; and

WHEREAS, Greater public awareness, education, and civic activities in our communities, can address the challenges facing people with mental illness; and can support, empower and assist in improving the lives of individuals, family, and communities affected by mental illness; and

WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to increase public understanding of the importance of mental health and to promote the identification and treatment of mental illness;

NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, The Clinton County Commissioners do hereby proclaim May 2023 as MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, in Clinton County and call observance to the attention of all our citizens.