Farmington, CT – April 12, 2023. For Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2023, Mental Health Connecticut (MHC) is relaunching the #LetsFaceIt campaign and asking others to join the conversation around the impact of stigma, along with how and where people are finding support. All month long, MHC will dedicate the days of the week to a specific theme as that day’s conversation starter. Each week, members of the community will lead the conversation, sharing an intimate peak into how they face life’s challenges. You can follow the campaign at mhconn.org/letsfaceit and follow along on social media @mentalhealthct.
ConnectiCare, a leading health plan in Connecticut since 1981, has signed on once again as MHC’s primary sponsor, with a generous donation of 23,000 dollars for 2023. As a longtime partner of MHC, ConnectiCare chose to support the campaign as a part of its ongoing commitment to creating healthier futures for Connecticut residents.
“Supporting Mental Health Connecticut is one of the many ways ConnectiCare gives back to the people of Connecticut,” said Kimberly Kann, AVP of Public Relations, ConnectiCare. “With the need for mental health support still so prevalent in our state, we’re proud to support the fundraising efforts of MHC’s Let’s Face it campaign. We encourage others to join us in advocating for mental health and wellness during Mental Health Awareness Month and year-round.”
The need to elevate mental health as a priority is dire. Particularly pressing is the need to help individuals understand that they are not alone, and there is no one way to respond to life’s challenges, especially stigma.
“Giving voice to one’s experience with a mental health condition, trauma, or any life-changing event is one of the most powerful tools to combat stigma and shame. It’s clear that organizations such as ConnectiCare and others recognize the importance of preventative measures for our health, which is critical now more than ever,” said Luis B. Perez, President & CEO of Mental Health Connecticut.
MHC is bringing in partner organizations such as Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) to help lead the conversation around mental health and wellness each week, “In 2021-22 the Connecticut Historical Society’s exhibition Common Struggle, Individual Experience: An Exhibition about Mental Health, presented by Hartford Healthcare was designed to present and explore an understanding of how people have struggled with mental health throughout history to help us support one another today. We partnered with many individuals and organizations, including Mental Health Connecticut, to share stories and perspectives of those in the past and the present day who faced personal struggles with mental health. The exhibition can still be viewed at chs.org, and we’re proud to partner again with Mental Health Connecticut to bring these stories to light.”-Robert A. Kret, Executive Director and CEO of the Connecticut Historical Society
As we share these stories each day in May, MHC is asking community members to support the expansion of its award-winning arts and wellness programming at The Family Wellness and Cultural Heritage Center. Through a partnership with the Hispanic Health Council (HHC), MHC will bring the Art of Wellbeing to Hartford.
The HHC’s vision of ensuring Hispanics and other diverse populations reach their fullest potential and achieve a healthy and fulfilled life aligns with MHC’s vision of creating a future where wellbeing is rooted in respect for the condition of being human and our mission of creating environments that support long-term health and wellness. Both organizations believe that fostering individual creative expression in safe, supportive spaces results in healthy, vibrant communities. For more information, go to: mhconn.org/letsfaceit.
Mental Health Awareness Month was created in 1949 by MHC’s national affiliate, Mental Health America to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone. MHA’s 2023 Mental Health Month campaign is focused on how surroundings impact mental health, and we are calling for individuals to look around, look within. Learn more and download the toolkit here: mhanational.org/mental-health-month
About Mental Health Connecticut
With a person-centered approach to care, Mental Health Connecticut's mission is to partner with individuals, families, and communities to create environments that support long-term health and wellness. We measure success by our ability to support the recovery journey and help individuals obtain a safe home, achieve whole health, realize a meaningful purpose, and develop connections in the community. Established by Clifford Beers in 1908, MHC is committed to the mental health and wellness of all Connecticut residents through advocacy, education, and service. MHC is CARF-accredited and a Platinum Level Bell Seal recipient of Mental Health America’s Workplace for Mental Health certification. For more information about MHC, go to: mhconn.org.
About ConnectiCare
ConnectiCare is a leading health plan in the state of Connecticut. ConnectiCare has been dedicated to making Connecticut a healthier place to live and work since the company was founded in 1981. ConnectiCare has a full range of products and services for businesses, municipalities, individuals and those who are Medicare-eligible and leads the individual market in the state. ConnectiCare subsidiary, WellSpark Health, is a national wellbeing, disease prevention and management company. ConnectiCare is part of the EmblemHealth family of companies. For more information, visit connecticare.com.
###
