Mental Health Month raises awareness
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News from St. Luke Community Healthcare
RONAN — Mental health is just as important to wellness as heart health or physical fitness. Mental Health Month educates the public about the importance of emotional and psychological health. Mental Health America, a national mental health advocacy group, organized the first Mental Health Month in 1949. Each May, organizations around the country work to reduce stigma about mental illness and provide support for mental health needs.
At St. Luke, physicians are dedicated to providing care for the whole person: emotionally, mentally, and physically. St. Luke’s Integrated Behavioral Health Program supports the mental health of St. Luke patients. Through the program, patients meet with one of two Licensed Clinical Social Workers who provide a variety of resources and tools for improving mental health.
Shanley Nicolai is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Integrated Behavioral Health Program.
“I want people to know that there are resources at St. Luke that can help them feel better mentally and emotionally, just like they can go to their doctor and feel better physically,” she said.
Nicolai hopes to reduce stigma around mental health care by integrating it into regular patient care. As part of this effort, St. Luke primary care physicians give their patients depression screenings. If a patient needs mental health support, their physician can provide them with mental health resources or refer them to a therapist.
The Integrated Behavioral Health Program helps patients to deal with a variety of mental health topics including depression, anxiety, relationship stress, and grief.
St. Luke patients should talk to their primary care provider about their mental health concerns. Other resources for mental health support include the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-271-8255 and mentalhealthamerica.net.
