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Awareness

National Suicide Prevention Month

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Suicide Prevention

By Ashley Barnes   What is National Suicide Prevention Month? National Suicide Prevention Month spans the entirety of September with the goal of uniting mental health professionals, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members to promote suicide prevention awareness; this is achieved through educating others with the use of resources, research, and powerful stories. September also hosts National Suicide Prevention Week from September 4th through September 10th as well as World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. Suicide Prevention. It is important to recognize warning signs of suicide as well as understand it’s prevalence in order to work towards suicide prevention. Suicide describes the act of ending one’s own life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States (CDC, 2021). Research has found that around 46% of people who die by suicide have a known mental health …

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Support and Safety: The 988 Lifeline

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Suicide Prevention

By Ashley Barnes What is 988? The 988 Lifeline is a suicide and crisis lifeline that launched on July 16, 2022. Before this, 988 was formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255; while either phone number will lead callers to the same place, condensing the original number to three digits reflects the effort to make the crisis service more accessible. The 988 Lifeline is not just for those experiencing suicidal thoughts. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 988 “​​offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support” (2022).  What to expect when you reach out to 988. When people call 988, they will …

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National BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month

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A family participating in therapy for bipolar disorder

By Ashley Barnes What is National BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month? National BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed during the entire month of July since 2008 with an effort to bring attention to the multitude of mental health challenges that affect BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) groups. The effort was developed by Mental Health America to bring light to the communities’ concerns and traumas which tie into their mental health experience, noting the historical marginalization, prejudice, and stigmatization that still impact the BIPOC community today.  BIPOC Mental Health. According to Mental Health America, 6.8 million Black/African Americans, 8.9 million Latinx/Hispanic Americans, 2.2 million Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and 830,000 Native Americans are reported to be living with mental illness; further, people who identity as being two or more races are most likely to report any mental illness within the past year than any other race/ethnic group (2021). Studies …

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Celebrating Juneteenth 2022

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Celebrating Juneteenth 2022

By Ashley Barnes What is Juneteenth? One June 17, 2021 Juneteenth became the 11th holiday recognized by the federal government in the United States. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, emphasizing education and achievement while celebrating African American culture. The holiday originated in Galveston, Texas and has been celebrated annually on June 19th within the United States since 1865. The name “Juneteenth” originates from the combination of “June” and the number 19. This year, Juneteenth falls on Father’s Day. It is a day of remembrance, recognition, and celebration.  How to celebrate and support. Los Angeles holds several Juneteenth events throughout the city; attend to show your support and help the community celebrate! Another great way to celebrate Juneteenth is by supporting Black-owned businesses! Being a diverse city, Los Angeles county has a multitude of Black-owned businesses. Book stores, coffee shops, cultural institutions, fashion and lifestyle businesses, health and …

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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

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geriatric mental health

By Ashley Barnes What is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day? Each year on June 15th, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed with the purpose of providing an opportunity for communities across the globe to promote a better understanding of elder abuse and neglect; this is done through education and raising awareness of the social, cultural, demographic, and economic situations that impact elder abuse and neglect.  Elder abuse. An elder is anyone age 65 or older and elder abuse describes any intentional act or failure to act that causes a risk of harm to an older adult (CDC, 2021). A sad truth about elder abuse and neglect is that it often occurs at the hands of a caregiver or person the elder trusts. Elder abuse is a serious problem in the United States with about 1 in 10 older adults over the age of 60 having experienced some form of …

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