The author James Baldwin states that “an identity is questioned only when it is menaced, as when the mighty begin to fall, or when the wretched begin to rise, or when the stranger enters the gates, never, after that, to be a stranger: the stranger’s presence making you the stranger, less to the stranger than to yourself” (Baldwin, 1976 p.537). The quote by Baldwin emphasizes the importance for people to be cognizant and confident of their distinctiveness and the multiplicity of identities...

The National Association of Counties' Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing led discussions during the conference on best practices and intergovernmental partnerships that support the 988 Lifeline and crisis response, bolster the behavioral health workforce, and address exclusionary policies that often preclude effective behavioral health care options. • Why it matters: Effective behavioral health care systems reduce recidivism and other cyclical service utilization patterns, leading to...

( The original version of this post was written for farmers, on my blog Thriving on the Farm...but I think it can apply to just about any of us.) I was reading an article from University of Minnesota Extension on farm safety today ( https://extension.umn.edu/farm-safety/being-stressed-can-compromise-farm-safety ), and this phrase jumped out and hit me over the head. “There is no award for who suffers the most.” Ouch. How often do we brag about how long our workday is, or how little sleep...

Have you been wondering how you can obtain mental health services for yourself or others? A web search for the words “professional care for mental health”, though can yield a plethora of results making the world of mental health services particularly difficult to navigate. Here are a few tips, to get you on the road to finding the appropriate support you or your loved ones may need: Look up your local hospital’s website and search for doctors who specialize in Psychology and/or Psychiatry –...

We often focus on the individual-level risk and protective factors that influence mental wellbeing, but wellness is affected by circumstances far beyond the individual. Consider a socio-ecological approach to mental health that includes a person’s family, workplace or school, housing and neighborhood, and larger society. This approach illuminates the many influences on a person’s health, all also points out all the ways we can intervene. In Extension, we all have a role to play. Review a...

The Western Region Mental Health and Nurition Network is convening a inaugural mental health and nutrition Conference and Workshop on October 17-19, 2023 athe University of Nevada in Las Vegas. For more details. Please visit: https://www.wrmhnn.org/

In general, men in the U.S. are expected to live nearly six years less than women . Men's Health Month is an opportunity to learn more about disparities in men’s health and about providing racial and ethnic minority boys and men with culturally and linguistically competent healthcare services. especially those with limited English proficiency. The US Department of Health and Human Services will host the inaugural Men's Mental Health Symposium: Listening through the Silence on Thursday, June...