With Mental Health Awareness Month underway, now is a great time to get involved and spread the word that mental illness is something everyone should care and talk about.

Throughout New Braunfels and surrounding areas, there are several ways to get involved. Whether it’s attending an event, spreading the word, volunteering, or seeking help, we can all play a part in bringing mental illness awareness to the forefront.

Mental Health Awareness Events:

 

Hill Country MHDDC will host virtual LIVE Youth Mental Health First Aid (for adults assisting youth) meetings on the following days:

• Friday, May 10 at 8 a.m.
• Saturday, May 11 at 8 a.m.
• Wednesday, May 15 at 9 a.m.
• Friday, May 17 at noon.

 

Your Best Life Festival hosted by the National Alliance of Mental Illness Guadalupe County:

• Saturday, May 11, located at Seguin Events Complex from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

Mental Health Awareness Month Webinar with Dr. Crystal Collier

• Thursday, May 30 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., register here 

 

Where to Volunteer:

 

• Children’s Advocacy Center of Comal County (CACCC):

CACCC provides a child-friendly environment to the community that assists in the detection, investigation, prevention, and treatment of child abuse. You can fill out a form to volunteer here.

• Communities in Schools:

Communities in Schools South Central Texas empowers K-12 students through the support of basic life needs, mental health, tutoring, and college preparation. You can find volunteering information through their website here.

• Hope Hospice:

Aiming to provide exceptional compassionate care, Hope Hospice offers personalized end-of-life care and help through the grief and loss process. For more information and how to volunteer click here.

• River City Advocacy, Inc:

Dedicated to creating a caring community that embraces well-being and mental health, you can find out more information or fill out a form to volunteer for River City Advocacy, Inc. here.

 

 

First observed in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month kicked off on May 1 and is a national effort to not only provide hope but to reduce stigma and promote public education surrounding mental illnesses.

Mental illness is common

 

Much more common than one might think, mental health issues continue to rise year after year throughout the nation and the numbers of those affected may be much higher than you thought.

A 2023 survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly 37% of Texas adults reported depressive disorder and or anxiety. In Comal County alone, 29,000 adults and children have a mental health need.

When looking at mental health illness, however, anxiety and depressive disorder are not the sole issues. For example, eating disorders, addictive behavior, and schizophrenia all fall under the umbrella of mental illness.

Investment and initiatives

 

To identify needs in the community, understand mental health, and fill gaps in services, the McKenna Foundation established a Mental Health Task Force in 2014.

With twenty-nine provider agencies along with city and county officials, the shared vision has resulted in shared resource materials, coordinated services, and community-wide events.  Additionally, two major achievements stemming from the Task Force include the Mental Advocacy Partners (MAP) and the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT).

Some of the benefits of these collaborations include expanding existing and developing new safety services throughout the community. With this, data creation and collection across disciplines have provided the resources necessary to address critical quality-of-life needs.

Where to find help

 

The commonality and prevalence of mental illness is exactly what Mental Health Awareness Month aims to bring light to. Here at the McKenna Foundation, it is our mission to promote education and prevention, be a resource for available services, and improve access to those services throughout New Braunfels.

A few of these services in New Braunfels and surrounding areas include:

• Children’s Advocacy Center of Comal County
• Mental Advocacy Partners
• MIH Program, NBFD
• Hope Hospice
• RecoveryWerks!
• River City Advocacy & Counseling Center
• Communities In Schools
• Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers
• Hill Country Hope 4 Health
• Connections

 

More resources and information can be found on our non-profit resource directory page.