A belief in potential. A right to dream. An opportunity to achieve.
Welcome to SCCMHA
We at SCCMHA have a deep-seated belief in the potential of every person we meet.
These same persons have a right to dream and imagine a life of their choosing and we are here to support those dreams and help them with opportunities to achieve.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Every year, millions of Americans are affected by mental illness.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around behavioral health issues and how it can impact all of us, whether personally or through our friends and families. By having conversations about mental health, access to care, how we can provide support and advocate for policies we can help can significantly improve the stigma around it and advocate for those affected by mental illness.
According to studies from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
- More than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness.
- Over 1 in 5 youth either currently or at some point in their life are affected by a serious mental illness.
- About 1 in 25 US adults lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression.
If you are worried about your mental health or worried about someone you know, there are resources and people out there who are willing to help.
For more information: Mental Health Month | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness May is Mental Health Awareness Month | AHA Mental Health | CDC
May is recognized as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month.
Over four million people struggle with borderline personality disorder (BPD) every day.
BPD is identified by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This can lead to intense episodes of anger, depression and anxiety that can last from a few hours to several days.
About 75% of diagnosed cases of BPD are found in women and more people are affected by BPD than both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder combined.
BPD is also associated with a higher incidence of substance abuse, eating disorders and depression, as well as suicide – which is 400 times the rate of the general population.
However, BPD is highly treatable through therapy and medication, with approximately 50% of people diagnosed experience significant improvement through treatment within five years.
Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month is important to raise awareness and help end the stigma around BPD, as well as encouraging those in need to get assistance.
May is recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
AAPI Heritage Month is celebrated to recognize the historic and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. The holiday was first commemorated as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in May 1977, however was expanded to be celebrated for the full month of May in 1990.Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed many advancements and accomplishments in the US in the fields of science and medicine, literature and art, sports, politics, law and activism.
Significant figures of Asian or Pacific Islander descent include:
- Hiram Fong, the first Asian Pacific American to serve in the US Senate in 1959
- I.M. Pei, a Chinese-born architect who designed JFK Airport in New York City, the JFK Memorial Library at Harvard, the Louvre Museum in Paris and many other notable structures
- Ellison Onizuka, the first Asian American and first person of Japanese origin to go to space
- Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress of Taishanese descent to achieve stardom in Hollywood
- Philip Vera Cruz, a Filipino agricultural worker who served as the vice president of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union to demand better treatment for Filipino farmworkers
- Sammy Lee, the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States
Today, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing racial group in the United States. AAPI Heritage Month celebrates the history and cultural impact of all AAPI immigrants and citizens and their unique experiences and traditions.