No one likes talking about mental health, but it is vital that we do. By fighting stigma, educating the public, and advocating for policies to support those living with mental illness we hope that people’s voices are heard loud and clear.
Our 2023 Mental Health Awareness Month toolkit features resources and tools designed to start conversations about mental health awareness.
Mental health matters to everyone and this 2023 Mental Health Awareness Month toolkit offers key messages and shareable content for individuals, organizations and communities to use across their networks – be it email newsletters, social media or community engagement events – in bringing important mental health and suicide prevention knowledge to people who might otherwise not learn about such matters. For tips on discussing such subjects safely please download the Safe Messaging Guide (PDF).
NACo encourages counties to educate the public on the significance of mental health while taking proactive steps and advocating on its behalf. They can do this through reforming harmful exclusionary Medicaid policies, strengthening local crisis response infrastructure, supporting behavioral health workforce needs and ensuring mental health parity. NACo also urges counties to lead by example and prioritize their own wellbeing through taking daily care for themselves with activities from Mindful Moments Checklist – this resource offers bite-size activities to add intentional self-care into daily living routines.
Though individuals may need assistance during difficult times, there are numerous ways they can take responsibility for their mental wellbeing themselves. Our 2022 Mental Health Awareness Month toolkit offers ideas, resources and messages that individuals and communities alike can utilize in improving mental wellbeing.
This toolkit includes a Storytelling Guide with tips and best practices for sharing one’s personal mental health journey to reduce stigma and encourage others to seek assistance, and a Manager Checklist which serves as daily, weekly and monthly action reminders for managers to promote support for mental health in their teams.
Toolkit materials also support county governments as they pursue innovation and policy advancement in behavioral health. These include template letters and op-eds designed to promote federal advocacy on key issues like reforming harmful exclusionary Medicaid policies, strengthening local crisis response infrastructure, supporting behavioral health workforce needs and promoting mental health parity.
Finally, the toolkit offers posters and graphics to highlight mental health topics online or through emails, or printed materials. These can help start discussions between coworkers, classmates, friends, family members, neighbors, clients, baristas and more about direct conversation as a key component of mental wellness and its place within their community.
Mental Health Awareness Month provides an ideal opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma and encourage people to seek treatment. This toolkit has been designed to assist individuals, organizations and communities raise awareness about mental health.
By raising awareness about mental illness and opening dialogue about it, education can help reduce stigmatism and encourage people to seek treatment. This toolkit contains resources and materials designed to spark such discussions as well as highlight available mental health services and programs.
The 2017 theme focused on raising awareness of behaviors and habits that increase the risk of mental health conditions such as risky sex, prescription drug misuse, internet addiction, troubling spending patterns, marijuana use and unsustainable exercise practices. In addition, MHA encouraged individuals living with mental illnesses to share their stories by posting to social media using #mentalillnessfeelslike or by anonymously submitting them directly.
This year’s theme, Fit for the Future, encourages individuals to consider how their choices and actions impact both physical and mental wellbeing in the present as well as into the future. It highlights county governments as providers of mental health crisis response services; counties also can lead federal advocacy to expand community-based care by reforming harmful Medicaid exclusionary policies and supporting behavioral health workforces.
Nonprofit professionals must juggle many tasks and responsibilities, making it challenging to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Mindful Moments Checklist will help nonprofit professionals become more present at work while simultaneously relieving their stress levels. Check it out now to start practising mindfulness!
Mental Health Awareness Month provides an important opportunity to share key messages and resources with those you care about, including colleagues, students, clients, church members, neighbors and the wider community. To assist this effort the 2025 Make It OK Mental Health Awareness Month toolkit offers social media assets, templates, printable handouts and mindful moment activities designed to help foster conversation about mental wellness.
Share stories of mental health struggles or recovery on social media platforms to inspire others and reduce stigma. Urge your followers to save the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number so they can access critical support when they need it most.
Provide information and education about mental health and well-being through infographics or visual content that showcases common disorders, symptoms, coping strategies and resources available online. Use social media platforms like Twitter to host live Q&A sessions where individuals can ask mental health professionals or counselors questions that encourage open dialogue.
Host wellness events or fairs that provide activities designed to foster physical, mental and emotional well-being. Include booths providing information on local mental health services, support groups, hotlines and hotspots – these will increase outreach. Engage participants by inviting them to take part in social media challenges that promote self-care practices like gratitude journals and acts of kindness.
Raise funds or organize donation drives for local mental health organizations and charities, helping those needing financial assistance to access mental health treatments and services.
Maintaining and improving our mental wellbeing requires equal attention as our physical well-being. Taking small steps every day towards improving and maintaining a happy state of mind, such as eating right, exercising regularly or volunteering are ways to care for our mental wellbeing and enhance overall well-being.
As mental health awareness month unfolds, we urge everyone to use this opportunity to promote and practice self-care in your everyday routine. To make things easy and help get started, the Mindful Moments Checklist offers bite-sized activities and prompts that encourage emotional balance and reflection – download this checklist for yourself or share it with friends, coworkers and loved ones who could use a bit of self-love!
Social connections are vitally important to maintaining good mental health. Take some time out each week to reconnect with those in your community – be it face-to-face, over the phone, or video chat – this can reduce stress, boost mood and foster feelings of belongingness.
As well as strengthening local networks, this month you can also take a more strident stance by advocating for federal policy advancement on mental health. NACo offers counties an impressive toolkit to promote innovative solutions like supporting local crisis response infrastructure, suicide prevention training and workforce development courses as well as support for mental health parity – click here for more details!
