HomeMy WebLinkAbout21-123 RESOLUTION NO. 21-123
A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MAY 2021 AS
"MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH" IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida, has made the
following determinations:
1. The purpose of Mental Health Awareness Month is to raise awareness and educate the public
about mental illnesses.
2. Serious mental illness affects one in every five Americans—children, adolescents, and adults.
Mental illnesses are treatable medical illnesses affecting the brain, posing the same concerns as
cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. Scientific research is constantly working toward
breakthroughs in the understanding of mental illnesses, resulting in more effective treatments to
allow people to reclaim full and productive lives.
3. Mental health is essential to everyone's overall health and well-being and helps to sustain an
individual's thought processes, relationships, productivity, and ability to change or face adversity. It
is important to maintain mental health and learn the symptoms of mental illnesses in order to get
help when needed. Public education and civic activities can encourage mental wellness and help
improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illnesses.
4. Misunderstandings about mental illness often wrongly impose a stigma on individuals coping
with mental illness. One-half of chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14. Long delays often
occur between the time symptoms first appear and when individuals get help. Early identification
and treatment can make a profound difference in successful management of mental illness and
recovery.
5. New Horizons of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee and Tykes and Teens are community
non-profit providers of recovery-oriented behavioral health services. They remain committed to
improving the quality of life for individuals, children, and families in our community. It is important
to acknowledge and reduce the stigmas and misconceptions that surround mental illnesses, which
often prevent individuals from seeking help.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie
County, Florida that this Board does hereby proclaim the month of May 2021 as "MENTAL HEALTH
AWARENESS MONTH" in St. Lucie County, Florida to increase public understanding of the
importance of mental health and to promote identification and treatment of mental illnesses.
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 4th day of May 2021.
ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ST. LUCIE CPU, T + • + A
10.0491, 41:\Ath BY: �'
DEPUTY CLERK CH
APPROVE DIPS TO LEGAL FORM AND
CORRECTNE :
C UNTY A 0 EY