Yesterday the White House launched its National Dialogue on Mental Health—a project inviting citizens all over the country to participate in conversations that will give them the opportunity to discuss and learn about mental health issues. With an estimated 45 million Americans suffering from illnesses related to mental health, the different shades of this affliction are simply too common for it to remain a misunderstood stigma that prevents people from seeking help. Speaking yesterday at the National Conference on Mental Health, President Obama said,
We know that recovery is possible, we know help is available, and yet, as a society, we often think about mental health differently than other forms of health. . . . We whisper about mental health issues and avoid asking too many questions. The brain is a body part too; we just know less about it. And there should be no shame in discussing or seeking help for treatable illnesses that affect too many people that we love. We’ve got to get rid of the embarrassment; we’ve got to get rid of the stigma. Too many Americans who struggle with mental health illnesses are suffering in silence rather than seeking help. (whitehouse.gov)
In this context, dialogue is considered foundational to removing such stigmas from mental health that prevent people, particularly youth, from reaching out for the care they need. Conversations are critical for people to learn about mental health issues, and they will allow people to identify conceivable actions that can create supportive conditions for those suffering and improve mental health in their communities.
To support this effort, nonprofit organizations, public officials, and healthcare providers are coming together to create a series of events to engage citizens in dialogue and action on mental health issues. This initiative, Creating Community Solutions, will engage thousands of Americans in conversations across the country that will take shape in a variety of settings: small-group discussions, large forums, online conversations, and large-scale deliberative events. Everybody’s voice is critical to the conversation, so locate a dialogue near you and join the conversation. If you can’t find a dialogue nearby, you can launch a conversation in your community using a prepared toolkit. Communities who host mental health dialogues can share the outcomes of their events at www.creatingcommunitysolutions.org.