May is Mental Health Month, observed in the United States since 1949. The national theme is Into Mental Health: Inspired, Informed, Involved.
Covenant Health and Covenant Horizons Clinic are offering a half-day symposium 2-5 p.m. May 19 in the Arnett Room at Covenant Children’s, 4000 24th St., 6th floor. Continuing education credits are available; register at covenanthealth.inreachce.com. Registration fee is $20; refreshments are provided.
“This May, we are encouraging people to educate themselves about behaviors that may be related to mental illness and how to get help in the community,” said Dr. Shena Smith, clinical psychologist, Covenant Horizons Clinic. “It is important to understand early signs of mental illness and recognize when certain behaviors or experiences are potentially signs of something more serious. Early identification and prevention are keys to minimizing the negative impact of mental illness.”
Featured speakers are Dr. Chuck Giles, psychologist; and Dr. Jessica Nelson, psychiatrist, both of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. The symposium is designed for all physicians, nurses and social workers.
At the conclusion of the event, participants will be able to:
- Describe how unwanted thoughts and emotions interfere with functioning
- Identify early intervention services and coping mechanisms
- Identify community resources
Mental Health Facts (provided by NAMI)
- 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental health condition.
- 1 in 25 (10 million) adults in the United States lives with a serious mental illness.
- 60 million people in the United States face the day-to-day reality of living with a mental illness.
- Half of all lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75 percent by age 24, but early intervention programs can help.
- African Americans and Hispanic Americans used mental health services at about half the rate of whites in the past year, and Asian Americans at about one-third the rate.
- 90 percent of those who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, but suicide is preventable.
- The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with the right treatments and supports.
CONTACT: Covenant Horizons Clinic, (806) 725-7034
About Covenant Health:
Covenant Health has served for almost 100 years as the only faith-based integrated health network in the West Texas, eastern New Mexico region providing a Christian healing ministry. Covenant’s network includes six hospitals, more than 1,000 licensed beds, more than 5,000 employees, 97 primary care providers, a medical staff of more than 600 physicians at its cornerstone facilities, and a regionally based health plan – FirstCare — offering high-quality affordable healthcare coverage. To learn more about Covenant Health, please visit covenanthealth.org.
(News release from Covenant Health System)