May, Mental Health Awareness Month and the passionate work of County Suicide Prevention Coalitions across Ohio

According to NAMI, 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by the age of 14.  75% by the age of 24.   This tells us many things including the vast importance of early diagnosis and the continued push to break stigmas around mental health and suicide.   The more than 70 County Suicide Prevention Coalitions statewide do exactly that every single day:  break stigmas, push for more and better mental health services and create safe spaces for awareness, education, and community action.  In this month's episode, we talk with two dynamic leaders at the coalition level;  Colleen Oakes, Senior Program Coordinator for the ADAMHS Board of Montgomery County and Elena Aslanides-Kandis, Suicide and Resiliency Services Coordinator for Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery.   As you'll hear from Elena and Colleen, this is brick-building.  It takes just one person to get involved, advocate, or volunteer, which leads to another person getting involved.   And that can save lives.