LOCAL EVENTS SPOTLIGHT MENTAL HEALTH

LOCAL EVENTS SPOTLIGHT MENTAL HEALTH

Brunswick, ME – In recognition of millions of Americans living with mental illness, Mid Coast Health Services recently took part in two events aimed at raising awareness of mental health in the community. Both events were offered in collaboration with National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine, helping to support local families and individuals impacted by mental illness.

“It is so wonderful to have such strong support from Mid Coast,” said Valerie Gamache, President of the Board of Directors for NAMI Maine. “With such a great partnership from a leader in healthcare in our region, we will continue to make progress in our fight to end the stigma that surrounds mental illness and build awareness of the needs for funding, resources, and programs in our community.”

Twenty-eight Mid Coast walkers took part in the NAMIWalks event held on September 21 at Southern Maine Community College. Now in its twelfth year of participating, the 2014 NAMI BathBrunswick/Mid Coast Hospital team raised more than $3,100, exceeding their fundraising goals. This year’s walk theme was “Walk the Walk to Start the Talk,” an effort focused on normalizing conversations around mental illness in the community.

On Tuesday, October 7, Mid Coast’s Our Health Film & Discussion Series featured, “Call Me Crazy,” a film exploring the impact of a loved one’s struggle with mental illness. Held at Frontier in Brunswick, the sold out event included an expert panel with representatives from NAMI leading a discussion about local efforts to support families and individuals with mental illness. Offered jointly by Mid Coast Hospital and Access Health (a local Healthy Maine Partnership), the ongoing Our Health Film & Discussion Series highlights health topics for the Midcoast region.

“It was not that long ago that people were afraid to talk about cancer. Now it’s a part of our everyday conversations. That’s where we want to be with mental illness.” said Gamache.