Psychological Well being America of South Carolina (MHASC) is taking huge steps to help rural communities within the state, and it is all due to a partnership with Psychological Well being America Nationwide and West Fraser, a world wooden merchandise firm. Via this partnership, MHASC obtained funding to increase its psychological well being providers to rural South Carolina, and attain smaller cities that will not have entry to psychological well being sources in any other case.
The workforce began by sending letters and useful resource packets to native religion leaders. Since September was Suicide Prevention Month, the supplies included useful bulletin bulletins, sources in each English and Spanish, and details about their Psychological Well being 101 periods, provided each in individual and on-line. In addition they highlighted the free psychological well being screenings out there via the Psychological Well being America web site.
One particular program MHASC launched to religion communities is “I.C. Hope/Don’t Duck Psychological Well being.” It includes a duck mascot and is designed to show each kids and adults that psychological sickness is actual and treatable. The supplies are participating, with a curriculum for lecturers and adults, and even enjoyable gadgets like coloring pages, stickers, and craft provides for a paper sack puppet. This initiative makes studying about psychological well being interactive and accessible for all ages.
MHASC additionally labored with MHA Nationwide to get a novel QR code for MHA’s Nationwide Prevention and Screening Program to allow them to be taught extra about how folks in South Carolina use the psychological well being screenings. Over the following few months, MHASC will proceed to increase its efforts in rural communities, due to the West Fraser grant. This contains providing extra coaching in Psychological Well being First Assist, internet hosting suicide consciousness packages, and organising cubicles at occasions to unfold the phrase about psychological well being sources.
MHASC has been busy with different initiatives, too. Prior to now 12 months, the group gave their web site a makeover and arranged two main conferences—one specializing in suicide prevention and one other for peer supporters. Each had been funded by a grant from the South Carolina Division of Psychological Well being, and so they’re already planning conferences for 2025.
Along with rural outreach, MHASC has additionally maintained a presence at Soda Metropolis Market, a weekly market in downtown Columbia. There, staffers arrange a desk with Psychological Well being America supplies, together with sources from different organizations just like the native chapters of the American Basis for Suicide Prevention and the Nationwide Alliance on Psychological Sickness to succeed in much more folks.
Lastly, MHASC celebrated its seventieth anniversary with a 70s-themed social gathering! Regardless of the rain introduced by Hurricane Helene, which later hit components of South Carolina and continued to have an effect on North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, they nonetheless marked this vital milestone. Their hearts exit to everybody impacted by the storm.
