Do you know who to call in a mental health crisis? Are you aware of the new statewide hotline for people with heroin or other opioid addiction?
As part of its community education initiative, the Southwest Regional Mental Health Board (SWRMHB) is premiering a new poster to raise awareness of a range of important resources — many of them free — available to Connecticut residents.
The new “Need Help?” poster, available in English and Spanish, provides agency names, websites and phone numbers for a variety of supportive services available to Connecticut residents. The eye-catching, easy-to-read poster highlights some of the state’s most valuable yet under-recognized resources.
“All too often, we hear that people didn’t know about mobile crisis, or NAMI, or Child Guidance, yet when people finally find out about these services they’re so grateful for the support they receive. We wanted to help raise awareness of these programs, as well as about 211, which is the state’s info line to connect people to any kind of help,” said Margaret Watt, SWRMHB’s executive director.
The information offered on this poster is deeply relevant to Connecticut’s residents. For example, it is estimated that:
- 1 in 5 people have a mental illness
- 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men are victims of domestic violence
- Up to 750,000 young people ages 14 to 21 have a gambling addiction
- 1 in 10 people will need treatment for a drug abuse problem
Using simple questions, this poster enables users to quickly identify which agencies can address a person’s needs. The resources listed in the poster include the National Lifeline, supports for families of children with special needs, the CT Coalition against Domestic Violence, as well as services for young adults, senior citizens, immigrants, the LGBTQ population, and many more!
The “Need Help?” poster will be distributed throughout Fairfield County with a focus on community centers such as town halls, libraries, post offices, schools, churches, train stations, and other public areas.
For more information, contact Southwest Regional Mental Health Board at 203-840-1187 or email info@swrmhb.org.
About the Southwest Regional Mental Health Board
SWRMHB is a nonprofit community advisory council dedicated to ensuring a high-quality mental health system that promotes recovery and wellbeing for the residents of southwestern Connecticut. SWRMHB represents and serves the communities of Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, and Wilton. For more information visit HealthyMindsCT.org. SWRMHB also manages the award-winning website, TurningPointCT.org, developed by and for young adults from Connecticut — “guiding the search for mental wellness.”