Helping Hennepin County residents connect to tools, resources and solutions to strengthen their mental health is the goal of a new year-long campaign called See Mental Health. The campaign also aims to normalize talk about mental health, reducing the stigma that can get in the way of seeking help or support.
According to a fact sheet from the National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota, 819,000 Minnesota adults have a mental health condition.
“See Mental Health is a reminder that mental and emotional health challenges are both common and addressable,” explained Jocelyn McQuirter, project manager of the Hennepin County mental health awareness campaign. “We want to let people know they are not alone if they are facing challenges with their mental health.”
The See Mental Health website can assist people who are in the midst of a mental health emergency. But a large component of the campaign concerns everyday connections with the message “You’re not alone and there’s a way forward.”
“We are trying to elevate all the ways people may see mental health in their everyday lives and how we can build meaningful connections and illuminate ways people can move forward,” said McQuirter.
See Mental Health offers practical, wellness-boosting reminders about self-care, noting that creating self-care routines has been clinically proven to reduce stress and anxiety and increase happiness. See Mental Health also shares the value of meaningful relationships and reaching out with a call or a text, both when individuals need support or can provide support.
“This topic is complex. A lot of historical trauma exists in a number of different communities, including the Black community. We all process and talk about this differently,” she added.
There’s been a quadrupling of anxiety and depression since the pandemic, including among young people. According to the American Psychological Association Mental Health Survey, 57,000 Minnesota youth between the ages of 12-17 have been diagnosed with depression, and the impact of that can be long-lasting. NAMI statistics show that high school students with depression are twice as likely to drop out as their peers.
“The pandemic brought on a lot of isolation, and we know Covid wasn’t the only thing. There were other stressors in the community,” McQuirter said. “Coming out of Covid-19, it is so important that we reflect and ask these questions and remind ourselves of who our people are, who our connections in the community are.”
The See Mental Health campaign will be sharing its message in the community. Its mobile unit and booth will be present at many of Hennepin County’s festivals, events and activities this summer. The van recently rolled out to Cinco de Mayo Lake Street in Minneapolis and will be present at Juneteenth and Pride celebrations later this month.
“We have coloring sheets for the kids, and adults can color too because coloring is great for mindfulness,” McQuirter said.
For more information, visit the See Mental Health website at www.seementalhealth.org. See Mental Health messages are available in multiple languages. The campaign aims to reach youth, veterans, seniors, and communities of color through a variety of multimedia channels.
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