The impact of the COVID pandemic on our collective mental health has been increasingly evident across our country’s and community’s population. More and more news articles have been written as research has revealed how significant the issue is. In many cases, the media coverage has been focused on well-known athletes, such as Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and Michael Phelps, who have gone public with their challenges and have helped to force a public conversation on the subject. Here at the Y, where we’ve long focused on health and well-being, we’ve seen the devastating effects of mental health challenges in the communities we serve.
Historically, discussions about mental health have not been a regular and normal part of our broader national healthcare conversations. That’s incredibly unfortunate, but it appears that’s beginning to change as more work is done to raise awareness of mental health challenges and how to best treat them.
Two Saturdays ago, the Y in Druid Hill hosted our association's first-ever Y Mental Health Fair in partnership with several others, including the Baltimore City Health Department, New Life Family Services, AGS Programs, Keys Development, Step One, Team for All, and Above It All. Experts from each organization shared with community members their wealth of knowledge, information, and resources regarding mental health.
This free community event was met with energy and enthusiasm by attendees and partners alike. Engaging conversations about a wide range of mental health concerns, and how best to access services, were discussed. Existing and former clients of mental health services were also gracious enough to share their stories.
It was a powerful event focused on a topic that needs to be front and center for all of us, including here at the Y. We are committed to this being the first of many mental health fairs to take place across our organization.
Please join me in thanking Tierra Sydnor-Diggs, a Y Baltimore City Community Leadership Board member, and Joel Gamble, our Senior Executive Director of Corporate & Civic Engagement, for their leadership and vision in making mental health information and resources available in our community. Great work!
All the best,
John
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland