ASU Commemorates May as 'National Mental Health Awareness Month'
By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU
May is celebrated nationwide as 'National Mental Health Awareness Month' and Alabama State University is doing its part both to educate and share campus resources that help the Hornet Nation family lead healthier, more productive and happier lives. The ASU Counseling Services Center (CSC) and the Levi Watkins Learning Center (LWLC) are involved in the effort to promote this month's commemoration, which includes the LWLC sharing educational resources and the CSC offering treatment and assistance options about mental health issues.
"Too many people suffer in silence concerning mental health illnesses that either they have or that impacts them from others, which many times can be treated in ways as easily as just speaking with a professional counselor," said Chris Johns, director of Counseling Services at ASU.
He commended the LWLC for its proactive educational approach of making the “OverDrive ebook collection” available to ASU students, employees and the general public. The collection may be read and utilized, via the library's link at OverDrive ebook collection.
"The ebook services being provided by the library are good because they allow individuals to embark upon the first step in obtaining mental health awareness from the many professional writings that may be read in a virtual format that will then lead individuals, if necessary, to come and obtain professional in-person help and assistance from one of the many mental health or counseling centers across the nation, which includes the University's Counseling Services Center that is located in the J. Garrick Hardy Student Center on campus,” Johns commented.
He explained that the library's collection of reading materials is a great place to start in understanding more about good mental health. The collection covers a multitude of issues and book titles such as "Black Women's Mental Health,” “Take Time for You,” “Black Pain," and many more.
ASU'S COUNSELING SERVICES CENTER CAN HELP
The University’s counseling center is available to students and employees alike. The center also assists ASU clients between semesters, regardless of their location.
"The celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month allows us an opportunity to showcase the many services that ASU offers its students and employees because our number-one goal is to help people," Johns said.
The University offers a wide-range of services and assistance, including one-on-one therapy, telehealth counseling, and a mobile app; all of which addresses issues such as depression, substance and alcohol abuse, anger management, grief, domestic violence, LGBTQ-plus issues and many more.
"Thank goodness for May being 'Mental Health Awareness Month' because it allows us to share with the University that we are here to help. Whether it is one of the most common issues that we see such as depression and anxiety or a more serious issue," Johns explained. "Alabama State University offers mental health resources for all students and faculty, and if necessary, we may utilize community resources to meet a person's specific needs. Our goal is to do our best to make sure that students and employees are healthy, happy and well adjusted."
News media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.
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