Author Archive

More than 60,000 people in New York city are homeless. That statistic includes more than 15,000 families and 22,000 children who sleep each night in the New York City municipal shelter system. What’s more, a large majority of people who...

Esther Ha was 21 when she died by suicide. She had been living with depression for years, something that, across Korean communities and culture, is often shrugged off or simply ignored. Her parents, Yonghwa and Katie Ha, are now working...

Statement by Betsy Schwartz, Vice President, Public Education and Strategic Initiatives, National Council for Mental Wellbeing WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 9, 2018) – As wildfires burn throughout California – making this the worst fire season in years – firefighters on the...

College marks a new beginning in a child’s life – for many it’s the first tentative steps away from the safety of their home. It is when a child becomes a young adult, and when they may quickly become aware...

Michaela is a high school sophomore. She’s a straight A student, excels as point guard on the girls’ basketball team, plays second chair clarinet in the marching band and is popular with teachers and other students alike. Suddenly, Michaela starts...

This piece was originally published on Linda’s Corner Office blog. Read it here. How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. – Annie Dillard The iconic designer Kate Spade hid her depression and anxiety behind her bright smile...

Laura might have had an inkling that something was awry with her mother’s mental health, but at 12 years old, she didn’t have the knowledge or understanding of what it could be. The one thing she did know – or...

If you notice a friend or loved one experiencing a substance use challenge, you may want to help, but might not know what to say or what to do. One of the first and most important steps you can take...

Unlike physical health challenges — like scrapes and cuts or the flu — mental health and substance use challenges often remain unseen. And because we can’t always see mental health challenges, it’s important that we feel comfortable having conversations about...

“How are you?” Those three words have become a prescriptive question with a prescriptive answer in today’s society. When we’re asked how we are, we’re expected to automatically respond with, “Great,” “Good,” or at the very worst, “I’m fine.” But...

In January, Droga5, the Jed Foundation (JED), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Ad Council launched a viral ad campaign geared toward suicide prevention, called Seize the Awkward. But at Mental Health First Aid USA, we know that conversations about...

This post was adapted from an original article by The New Social Worker, Social Workers Learn From and Raise Awareness Through Mental Health First Aid. Read the full article here. Our Mental Health First Aid champions from across the country recently...