A campaign for mental health care
Tampa Bay Thrives kicked off Mental Health Awareness Month by unveiling a campaign featuring residents across the region who are sharing their stories of mental health, according to a news release.
The campaign, “If you know, you know” (IYKYK), builds upon the social media hashtag that speaks to those who have shared or lived experience.
To show its support, the City of Tampa illuminated city bridges and landmarks in green, the official color of mental health awareness, from May 1 to May 8.
Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas County governments all recently passed resolutions to light up the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in green from May 21 to May 28.
Tampa Bay Thrives also will launch a video featuring the stories of four Tampa Bay residents who share the struggles that led them to slip into various stages of depression. They also talk about seeking therapy, receiving support from loved ones, and finding outlets that lifted them from darkness, the release said. A new website shares resources and highlights additional stories from across four counties, too.
Thrives also offers confidential support for mental health through its free Let’s Talk line, to help callers figure out what support they might need for their mental health. This service includes: short-term telehealth bridge counseling; an appointment at a local AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens; a referral to a licensed counselor at Tampa General’s Urgent Care; a connection to a licensed clinical social worker at Northside Behavioral Health Center. All these options are available by calling Let’s Talk at 844-YOU-OKAY.
For additional information, visit TampaBayThrives.org.
Mental Health Month
NAMI Pasco County (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month with these events:
- Empowered Well-Being takes participants on a yearlong, whole-bodied, wellness journey that includes one-on-one coaching and four group meetings a month. Topics include nutrition, exercise, community, savings, coping skills and more. The next group starts in June. For more information, email .
- NAMI Walks Pasco is scheduled for May 20 at Safety Town in Shady Hills, to help break the stigma, raise funds and spread awareness. NAMI Heroes of Hope award winners will be announced and honored at the event. There also will be a kids’ area, stories of hope, games and more. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Registration is required at NamiWalks.org/pasco.
Upcoming awareness weeks/days include:
- Children’s Mental Health Week, May 7 to May 13; Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, May 11
- Brain Injury Awareness Week starts May 11
- National Women’s Health Week starts May 14
- Mental Health Action Day, May 18
- National EMS Awareness Week, May 21 to May 27
- World Schizophrenia Awareness Day, May 24
For more information, follow NAMI Pasco on Facebook, or visit NAMIPasco.org.
Promoting awareness
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club promoted awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month and sold blue pinwheels at all of its April club meetings, the funds of which were donated to social services working with child victims of abuse. GFWC members Gail Howard and Roseann Lange planted a large garden of pinwheels at the Historic Old Lutz School to draw community attention to the issue. Club members also displayed the pinwheels in their gardens and yards.
Honorary membership
Trainers at the AdventHealth Wellness Center Wesley Chapel honored 100-year-old veteran Roy Caldwood with an honorary membership in recognition of his dedication to health and wellness, according to a news release.
Caldwood, a retired World War II U.S. Army Buffalo soldier, began his fitness journey last summer, after his wife passed away. He works out regularly at the center and his home gym to keep himself fit.
Caldwood says the key is to keep moving, and he’s “not ready for the rocking chair just yet,” the release said.
“We are honored to have Roy as a member of our wellness center,” said Erik Wangsness, president and CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, in the release. “His dedication to health and wellness as a centenarian is an inspiration to us all! We are grateful for his service to our country and are proud to be able to help him achieve his fitness goals,” said Wangsness.
Hospital promotion
HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital has promoted Marcus Smith to vice president of operations, where he will ensure the development and implementation of effective operations systems to meet current and future needs at the 320-bed acute care hospital.
Now in his fifth year at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital, Smith has served as its manager of facilities, director of facilities management, and most recently as assistant administrator.
