NEW PRAGUE, Minn. (KEYC) – In an era defined by rising substance abuse and suicide rates, mental health professionals are dedicated to educating people about mental illness and how they can treat it.
For this reason, May is officially recognized as Mental Health Month.
“It’s important to let people know there are resources in the community for mental health – for teens, for kids, for families, for couples,” said Marianne Milano. “I don’t think enough people know about them.”
This is why the Duck Cup Memorial in New Prague hosted a Mental Health Fair today.
The non-profit was funded in 2001 when a close friend of its organizers committed suicide – and for them, this fair is another way to end the stigma around mental illness.
“The reason we’ve started to do it is try to get resources available to people so they knew what was in our local communities, I don’t think people understand how much is available in regards to mental health,” said Angela Sticha.
The fair hosted 21 vendors from across the area. The vendors ranged from therapy practices to mental health crisis services, but they were all focused on one thing: educating visitors about mental health resources.
“I think we are making strides,” said Sticha. “The need is definitely still there unfortunately, but all of this is helping.”
Ultimately, while the mental health epidemic is far from gone, this fair is proof that there are professionals dedicated to helping those who are struggling, no matter the cause.
“It’s okay to call, it’s okay to say ‘I had a bad day. I had a bad test grade, the boss talked to me,’” said Sara Danielson, “Or you’re to the point where you’re contemplating ending your life here. And we’re here for all of those.”
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