Alta Care Group Launches ‘Mental Health Is Vital’ Campaign
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — A new awareness campaign launched by Alta Care Group looks to end the stigma toward mental health.
The agency announced its Mental Health is Vital campaign, which designed to raise awareness of mental wellness as the fifth critical vital sign and promoting access to care, according to a release.
“We understand that blood pressure, pulse, temperature and respiration are part of our core vital signs, but mental health is just as vital to an individual’s overall wellness, said Joe Shorokey, CEO of Alta Care Group. “In fact, mental wellness can end up having negative effects on one’s physical wellness, making it an important part of routine health care.”
The multi-faceted campaign will include billboards throughout the community, social media efforts, commercials and interviews with community, civic and religious leaders aimed at encouraging residents to have open discussions about mental health. Funds for the campaign were made possible through a grant from the Governor’s Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives.
The hallmark of the campaign is an art contest, hosted alongside The Ryan Giambattista HELMS Foundation of the Mahoning Valley. Participants would express how mental health is vital to them through art.
“Art therapy is an incredibly powerful tool in battling mental illness,” said Terri DiGennaro, chairwoman of The HELMS Foundation. “We saw the art contest as a perfect complement to the Mental Health is Vital campaign where we can engage with the community.”
The winning art submission will be featured on billboards throughout the community, as well as receive a cash prize. Additional details on the art contest can be found at MHisVital.com.
In addition to the art contest, the campaign will focus its outreach efforts on minority communities and veterans.
“Based on the statistics, minority communities are less likely to receive mental health care and slightly less than 50% of returning veterans receive the mental health treatment they need,” Shorokey noted. “These are crucial areas where we can make a positive impact through this campaign.”
For more information on Mental Health is Vital, visit MHisVital.com.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
