TITLE
Title
PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN GUILFORD COUNTY
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Commissioner Kay Cashion
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PROCLAMATION
Proclamation
WHEREAS mental health is the overall wellness of how you think, regulate your feelings, and behaviors, and sometimes people experience a significant disturbance in mental functioning which can indicate an underlying mental health disorder; and
WHEREAS, those disturbances may present as patterns or changes in thinking, feeling, or behaving, which can cause distress or disrupt a person's ability to function; and
WHEREAS, nearly one in five adults and one in five adolescents in the United States live with a mental illness; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates have revealed declines in suicide rates in several age groups under 34 years old in recent years, whereas the rate in adults over 75 has increased in North Carolina, the highest suicide risk occurs between the ages of 75 and 79, with a suicide rate of 19.6 and
WHEREAS, in 2024, the Guilford County Behavioral Health Center served more than 18,000 individuals; there were more than 5,000 visits to the Behavioral Health Urgent Care; and more than 13,000 visits to the adult Behavioral Health Outpatient clinic; and
WHEREAS, in 2022, Guilford County had a suicide rate of 13.85 deaths per 100,000 people, slightly below the state average of 14.4. Additionally, Guilford County experienced a drug poisoning death rate of 42.1 per 100,000 population one-third of the United States population lives in a county designated as a mental health professional shortage area, including many North Carolinians; and
WHEREAS,. through our Behavioral Health Center and partnerships, Guilford County serves as a safety net for residents in need; and
WHEREAS, any resident experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis may visit Behavioral Health Urgent Care for help or may call or text 9-8-8 to reach trained counselors at the natio...
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