On Monday, June 3, President Barack Obama kicked off a National Dialogue on Mental Health at the White House, saying he hoped the event would elevate the conversation on mental health to a national level by “bringing mental illness out of the shadows.” How exciting to have the national resource of mentalhealth.gov!

During the event, it was stated over and over that talking openly about mental illness is the best way to encourage those in need to seek help.  And we couldn’t agree more. In fact, the WellPower has our very own Mental Health Ambassador, Jeannie Ritter, whose sole responsibility is to actively engage the community on the topic of mental health. Everyday she is out talking about this issue to organizations and community groups.

“We normalize mental health when we open up with our own stories and concerns. This creates a safe environment that empowers others to share,” said Jeannie Ritter.

We are proud of our local faith-based, civic and community organizations and businesses that have taken a leadership role around behavioral health. We celebrate the strides they have made to support treatment of mental health on an equal pairing with physical health.

One in five people will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime. We need to be sure people aren’t afraid to ask for help. We know treatment works and people with mental illness can lead productive and fulfilling lives