May was Mental Health Awareness Month & BOSS is invested in our community's Mental Wealth!
BOSS invited local organizations to our annual Mental Wealth Block Party - a free event specializing in providing mental health resources, housing services, holistic approaches, violence prevention, legal services, survivor services, substance addiction prevention, interactive activities, & more!
Hosted by our West Oakland Neighborhood Impact Hub, Mental Wealth is the thing that we learn about ourselves to help us maintain our Mental Well-being. At the West Hub, community members can access peer mentors and violence prevention/mediation support; receive information and referrals for community resources such as education, employment, health care, and legal aid; and attend life skills classes, community healing groups, arts/culture events, pop up COVID testing, and more.
Take a sneak peek at a clip from the day --> here
We know very well that Mental Health problems increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are doing the work to increase engagement in the Black community by providing health resources, advocacy and education. BOSS was proud to support and partner with Haller's Pharmacy and Alameda County Public Health Department to provide Free COVID vaccinations during the Block Party.
Native American Health conducted free Covid testing for the community. NAHC has a long history of commitment to the wellness of our community and we remain steadfast in our commitment during the current COVID-19 (also known as Coronavirus) outbreak.
Every day it is our intention to bring attention to the communities that are most impacted by mental illness and provide resources for them. Each year during the month of May, we bring everyone together for healing and community.
How to get involved with mental health awareness
Even with physical distancing, there are ways to get involved and raise awareness for mental health conditions.
Here are a few examples from Aurora Behavioral Health:
Take a free mental health screening. You can visit MHAscreening.org and take a mental health screening. Afterward, you can share that you “took a checkup from the neck up,” and you can encourage others to do the same.
Share information locally. Ask wellness-oriented places like your local gym, yoga studio, or health food store to share digital resources from the MHA Toolkit. You can also reach out to your personal and professional contacts to encourage them to download and share the MHA toolkit.
Spread messages of hope to those in need. People who are suffering from mental health issues may need to speak with someone who can offer hope during difficult times. To learn how you can participate in spreading messages of hope, check out our Messages of Hope program.
Take time for your mental health. It is important to be aware of your mental health status, too. Be sure to practice self-care and preserve your mental health. Also, know that there are many mental wellness activities one can do at home. You can learn more about these mental wellness activities through Aurora Arizona's Wellness-At-Home video series.
A huge thank you to St. Mary's Center, our community partners, District 3 Councilmember Carrol Fife, OPD, OFD and the community of West Oakland.
For more information about BOSS's events, make sure you're subscribed to BOSS Bay Area below.
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