Placer launches #Placer4MentalHealth campaign in May for Mental Health Matters Month

Published May 1, 2023

Placer County and the local Campaign for Community Wellness (CCW) are announcing the launch of the #Placer4MentalHealth campaign in May for Mental Health Matters Month. The ongoing campaign aims to reduce mental health stigma in Placer County by encouraging members of the community to ‘be the change.’

Placer residents are encouraged to visit placer4mentalhealth.org and take a pledge to end mental health stigma. The website also features resources and recommends steps that anyone can take to ‘be the change,’ highlighting stories from local residents and providers. 

The #Placer4MentalHealth campaign will feature a number of additional activities designed to raise awareness and promote mental health education:

• Follow and tag @placer4mentalhealth on Instagram and Facebook, and use hashtag #placer4mentalhealth. 
• On May 6, join the Placer contingent of the walk in Sacramento hosted by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. 
• Participate in other community events, take a mental health training to better learn how to support your friends and loved ones, or connect with a mental health speaker in our Speakers Bureau.
• On May 23, the Placer County Board of Supervisors will consider a proclamation recognizing Mental Health Matters Month. 
• The historic courthouse in Auburn will be lit green for mental health awareness throughout the month (with exception of the week of May 9 for another event).  Residents are also invited to wear lime green. 

Nationwide, more than half of adults with a mental illness and 60% of youth with major depression do not receive mental health treatment. Locally, residents are encouraged to call their health provider or call the county’s 24-hour hotline, 1-888-886-5401, to connect with mental health services. The county also offers walk-in clinics several days a week. 

“Mental health stigma is a huge barrier on why many people don't seek help,” said Placer County program manager and CCW representative Sue Compton. “We all know someone with mental illness. It is common and treatable.”

Visit placer4mentalhealth.org for more information and resources.