We Hear You...

By: America Paredes, Senior Director of Partnerships and Community Outreach

The last 48 hours have been shocking for many, to say the least. Many of you are fearful of what comes next. We understand. We hear you.

In light of the election results, many individuals have reached out to us and shared their concern, anxiety, and despair about the impact that the next four years and beyond may have on the lives of individuals that are part of any community that is deemed as “other.”

We recognize that these feelings are natural reactions, as similar and valid, as feelings that can arise when having experienced a sudden, dramatic change in one’s life. Still, after similar events across our communities, we always seem to stand back up again and work together to move forward.

Our founder, Clifford W. Beers, wrote in 1903 about the need to work together to address the inequities that existed for individuals living with a mental illness and he put forth the need for action by embracing the call to Fight in the Open to create change.

Our work, and that of our affiliates, has and continues to be guided by the efforts began by Clifford Beers and we will continue to work with the current and incoming administration to move the conversation and legislation forward.

For us, nothing changes. We continue to focus on prevention, early identification and intervention, integration of health, behavioral health and other services, with recovery as the goal.  We’re all about acting B4Stage4, and we believe that there remain strong majorities in Congress to help achieve that goal.

We realize that the vastness of issues that are present and can be denied in the future, can be quite overwhelming to consider, but we will continue to take them all on, working hard to ensure that early intervention, prevention, and adequate mental health care are available to all.

Today and in the future, we ask that you empathize and support one another, ensuring that those who may feel ostracized or abandoned know that they are not alone. Support is critical in moving forward. The mental health impacts of the current season as well are often substantial and may be overwhelming for some and we ask that you look out for one another. Talk about your feelings and seek help if needed.

Reach out to our local affiliates and get involved in your community. Support our efforts as we continue to move forward in working across systems to ensure that the mental health of all individuals is addressed adequately and effectively #B4Stage4.

Finally, if you or someone you know needs to talk with someone, they can always reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or Crisis Text Line by sending the letters MHA via text to 741-741. Both services are free and available 24/7.