The annual Mental Health & Wellness Fair has been at Greenfield’s Energy Park for each of the 17 years it’s been held. But the global COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizers to get creative.
As a result, the awareness event is going virtual, taking the outdoor “market” of behavioral health offerings, activities and information to social media for a week starting Monday. Staffers and members of the Green River House in Greenfield and Quabbin House in Orange plan to share facts about mental health, which they encourage people in the community to re-share.
The Mental Health & Wellness Fair, traditionally hosted by the nonprofit community behavioral health agency Clinical & Support Options, is organized and managed by the staff and membership of CSO’s Clubhouse program.
“Clubhouse members are an amazingly resilient group,” Kim Thibault-Britt, director of CSO’s Clubhouse Programs, said in a statement. “Even though we aren’t able to hold our physical event, we’re still planning to help make a difference. We all know someone with a mental health challenge; so, we should all do our part to raise awareness.”
Materials available for sharing the week of May 18 will include a downloadable fact sheet with mental health statistics, sample social media posts, clubhouse member videos, an event program PDF and links to important resources. A one-hour Zoom meeting at noon on Wednesday is also planned. Community members interested in attending the Zoom meeting should contact Thibault-Britt by email at Kim.Britt@csoinc.org or by phone at 413-772-2181, ext. 208.
The fair is held each May in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month.
“Our Green River House and Quabbin House Clubhouse members are exceptional individuals, all of whom have worked to overcome persistent mental health challenges,” Karin Jeffers, CSO president and CEO, said in a statement. “For nearly 20 years, they have dedicated themselves to this event. Their Mental Health & Wellness Fair is directly responsible for reducing the stigma associated with mental health challenges here in Franklin County and informing the public about available resources.”
Community members are encouraged to visit CSOinc.org/mhwf for downloadable materials designed for sharing via social media and email.
According to CSO, 20 percent of American adults (43.8 million people) experience a mental illness in a given year, and 13 percent of emergency room visits are related to mental health or substance use. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to CSO.
CSO has 16 locations throughout Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Berkshire and Worcester counties, and serves more than 18,000 clients annually.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.