Yolo County proclaims May as Mental Health Awareness Month – Daily Democrat
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors will proclaim May as Mental Health Awareness Month during its May 24 meeting.
“The Yolo County Board of Supervisors has made a commitment to improving mental health,” Board Chair Angel Barajas emphasized. “We have proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month to help raise awareness. We also want to recognize Yolo County HHSA for their tireless efforts and work on mental health programs, which have proven to be even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency has taken a collaborative approach to address the mental needs of the community by prioritizing program development to reach service deficiencies, according to a county press release.
The county is recognized by the National Association of Counties as a county that is “developing innovator” for the skill of using data to “push decisions and better outcomes in the number of inmates with serious mental illnesses. , “according to the release.
“We are very grateful to our board of supervisors who in 2015 recognized the need to focus on mental health, substance use and our criminal justice system by passing a resolution to make Yolo County a Stepping Up County , “Ian Evans, adult and senior branch. county director, said. “We are even more excited that on May 24, through a new resolution, our board will formally accept the NACo Stepping Up Innovator county designation making Yolo County one of only five counties in all of California to receive of this designation. “
The county used integrated data across justice, health ethics and housing systems to better inform program design, evaluation and resource development “with the goal of reducing the 50% baseline rate of people entering. in prisons with ethical health requirements and stay an average of 16 days, as well as a subset of 25% of bookings with severe mental illness that stay an average of 36 days, ”according to release.
“Mental Health Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to raise awareness among those living in our community with mental health and wellness symptoms and to help reduce the stigma that multiple experiences prevent access to care. , “Karleen Jakowski, interim director of mental health. , said. “By working together we can tailor our efforts, maximize our impact and realize a shared vision of ensuring that every Yolo County resident gets the appropriate services and quality of care they need. needed to support their strength, health and well-being. “
