Photo courtesy DHHS

From the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

May is national Mental Health Month, and the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is inviting the community to participate.

Known locally as “Mental Health Matters Month,” May offers a full calendar of celebrations devoted to reducing stigma and raising awareness.

Community members are invited to help make signs on Friday, May 6, to carry during the upcoming Mental Health Walk. The work will take place at the Community Wellness Center in Eureka from noon to 5 p.m.

Walk participants will meet at noon on Tuesday, May 10, at the Hope Center in Eureka and march in support of mental health to the courthouse. Wear lime green to show your support. Snacks will be provided.

Come down to the Eureka Theater on Saturday, May 7, during Arts Alive! in Old Town, for the Directing Change film screening. The night is a celebration of young film talent as well as a recognition of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

“Mental health is an essential part of our overall health,” said DHHS Health Education Specialist Sarah Nelson.

Other events throughout the month will include film screenings, a speakers’ collective and barbecues.

One in every four Americans experiences some form of mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Mental health issues affect people regardless of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, social or economic status.

The Community Wellness Center is location at 908 Seventh St., Eureka. The Hope Center is located at 2933 H St., Eureka. For more information and a full calendar of the month’s events, phone 707-268-DHHS or visit humboldtgov.org/2047/Suicide-Prevention-Program.