Three hundred people gathered last week for a moving evening of film, discussion and reflection at the Horizon Foundation’s 2018 Mental Health Film Festival. As an event designed to build awareness and compassion for those in our community facing mental health challenges, we are grateful for all who came to learn, share personal stories and make commitments to elevate mental health in our community.
See ABC2 TV news coverage of the event >>
See event photos on Facebook >>
See personal comments and stories posted on our Reflection Wall >>
As Horizon Foundation CEO Nikki Highsmith Vernick said in her opening remarks, “We are here because everyone deserves to live their best life, and the health of our minds is as essential as the health of our bodies.” Yet there is a dramatic need for mental health screening and services in our community — particularly for our youth. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14; and three quarters by age 24. People also typically face an average delay of 8-10 years between onset of symptoms and intervention.
This is why the Horizon Foundation is making a major commitment to and financial investment in youth and family mental health and well-being under our new strategic plan. We want to radically transform youth mental health services in our community through:
- Preventing mental health conditions where we can and building the resiliency of our youth;
- Doing a better job recognizing mental health issues in our children;
- Making it easier to get treatment by expanding access to affordable mental health services;
- Working closely with pediatricians to diagnose mental illness and provide treatment in the primary care setting;
- Engaging parents and destigmatizing what it means to receive mental health treatment; and
- Launching a community campaign to change attitudes about mental health and mental health treatment in our community.
We look forward to rolling out further details about these initiatives and hope you will join us in this work. We also hope you will take advantage of upcoming mental health training opportunities listed below.
Thank you to all of our partners on this issue and on this event including Chase Brexton, Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, Howard County General Hospital, Howard County Health Department, Howard County Public School System, Humanim, NAMI Howard County, Sheppard Pratt and Way Station.
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Free Training Opportunities
We encourage you to sign up for a mental health training — FREE to those who live or work in Howard County. These trainings are open to everyone who wants to make a difference. Please see descriptions and further information below.
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid provides training on a five-step action plan to offer initial help to people with the signs and symptoms of a mental illness or in a crisis, and tools on how to connect them with the appropriate care.
Fri. Sept. 7, 2018, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Howard County General Hospital, Wellness Center Medical Pavilion
10710 Charter Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21044
Tues. Oct. 11, 2018, 8:30am-5:00pm
Location TBD, Hosted by Grassroots Crisis Intervention
Fri. Nov. 16, 2018, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Howard County General Hospital, Wellness Center Medical Pavilion
10710 Charter Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21044
Youth Mental Health First Aid
If you are an adult who works with youth ages 12-18, this one-day training will equip you with resources and tools to learn the signs and symptoms of a mental illness or crisis, follow a five-step action plan to offer initial help and connect youth with appropriate care. This training is FREE for Howard County residents and workers. Attendees must be 18 or older.
Fri. October 5, 2018, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Howard County General Hospital, Wellness Center Medical Pavilion
10710 Charter Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21044
Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) Training
QPR training helps individuals learn how to recognize the warning signs of a person in a mental health crisis (Question), suggest that the person seek support (Persuade) and connect the person to local resources (Refer). This event is FREE for Howard County residents and employees.
Tues. Oct. 2, 2018, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Howard County General Hospital, Wellness Center Medical Pavilion
10710 Charter Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21044
