Lake ADAMHS and Great Lakes Mall partner to mark World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is an annual observance sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). The objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues and emphasize the importance of helping people with mental illnesses on their recovery journey.

 

The Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board is partnering with Mentor’s Great Lakes Mall to help draw attention to World Mental Health Day. From noon – 4:00 on Saturday, October 10 the ADAMHS network will be on hand to talk with mall shoppers and answer questions about mental illnesses and recovery resources in the mall’s main concourse near JCPenney. Free depression screenings will also be offered.

 

The ADAMHS Board is charged with planning, evaluating, monitoring, and funding services for Lake County residents who are dealing with mental illness and/or substance-use-disorders. Those services are delivered through a network of ADAMHS providers, many of which will be on hand for this event.

 

 Lake ADAMHS Executive Director Kimberly Fraser says stigma reduction will be among the objectives of the event. “Viewing mental illness differently than physical illness is dangerous and wrong,” she explains. “Both are vital components of wellness and both can be successfully treated. Nobody gets uncomfortable about reaching out for help for things like diabetes. Unfortunately that’s often not the case for illnesses like depression or bipolar disorder.”

 

Fraser adds that recovery services are readily available in Lake County, and that someone’s personal financial situation is never a barrier between needing and getting help.

 

“When it comes to accessing available services we’ve made it easy,” she says. “The ADAMHS Board’s Compass Line puts callers in touch with a triage specialist who will help them navigate their way to the right services quickly and efficiently.

 

Compass Line numbers are 350-2000 or 918-2000, both 440. More information about the ADAMHS network is available at HelpThatWorks.us.