Council proclaims May as Mental Health Month

Eat well and exercise—that is the mantra for healthy living we’ve heard since childhood, but equally important to taking care of one’s physical body, is taking care of the mind.

According to Clovis city councilmember Lynne Ashbeck, who serves in a professional capacity as the Senior Vice President of Community Engagement and Population Wellness for Valley Children’s Healthcare, one in five adults nationwide experience some mental health challenge in their lives. Those challenges include depression or anxiety brought on by life’s stressors and tough circumstances or a lifelong battle with bipolar, obsessive-compulsive disorder or PTSD.

Given this statistic, Ashbeck feels its important to raise awareness about mental health.

“It is important when we talk about being healthy that we talk not only about physical fitness but mental fitness, which is equally important,” Ashbeck said.

To raise this awareness, on May 7 Ashbeck brought a proclamation before the Clovis council declaring May as Mental Health Month. Her fellow councilmembers unanimously supported the proclamation.

The proclamation states: “Whereas mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and wellbeing; and Whereas all Americans experience times of difficulty and stress in their lives; and Whereas prevention is an effective way to decrease the burden of mental health conditions; and Whereas there is strong research that diet, exercise, sleep and stress management can help all Americans protect their health and wellbeing; and Whereas mental health conditions are real and prevalent in our nation; and Whereas with effective treatment those individuals with mental health conditions can recover and lead full productive lives; and Whereas each business, school, government agency, healthcare provider, organization and citizen shares the burden of mental health problems and has a responsibility to promote mental health wellness and support prevention efforts; Now therefore be it resolved that the city of Clovis hereby proclaim May 2018 as Mental Health Month.”