Mental Health Conference: Uniting Voices
Active Minds at the University of Washington
Theme: Educate, critically discuss, and share stories revolving around mental health issues
Purpose: To develop awareness of mental health issues and provide ways for UW students to combat the stigma.
Goal: Motivate proactive engagement in students to learn about, reflect on, and take action against mental health stigma.
Our Ask: Ways to get involved (ordered by increasing level of involvement):
Rationale:
Misconceptions about mental health issues affect everyone and acts as a barrier to treatment-seeking from people who face mental health problems. Education promotes critical analysis of mental health stigma and conversation broadens awareness. We aim to deconstruct the myths of mental health by changing the conversation, and in so doing so, creating a healthier, more open-minded environment for people to seek help and treatment.
One in every four people experience mental health problems. How should we talk about mental health? A place to start:
WHO:
WHAT: Mental health conference to teach, advocate and connect
WHEN: May 26, 9:30-3:30 pm
WHERE: TBD
WHY: To stand up against the stigma surrounding mental health issues and promote a mentally healthy campus
HOW: By spreading mental health information and awareness
Tentative Conference Map Out
Last Updated: 3/1/2018
Location: TBD
Conference Hours: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
In collaboration with:
Health and Wellness Center · Hall Health · Counseling Center · Disability Center · Student Health Consortium (SHC) · Huskies for Suicide Prevention and Awareness · Peer Health Educators · Neurobiology Club
Mission of Active Minds UW:
Active Minds at UW is the newest chapter among over 400 currently at college campuses across the country. In association with the national organization, Active Minds, we strive to promote mental health awareness and education through campaigns, fundraising, informational meetings, and community-wide events. Examples of such campaigns and events include: Stress Less Week, Suicide Prevention Month, National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, etc.. Mental health disorders are an ever-growing problem in college. Unfortunately, most students suffer silently for fear of what others may think, or they simply don’t know where to start in getting help. It can be horribly isolating. Our goal is to provide a place where students can learn about mental health, and mental health issues. We hope to provide information about resources both on and off campus in order to promote help-seeking behaviors in individuals who may be able to benefit from them. We also work to relay the latest scholarly findings of mental health research and information as it pertains to college students. Mental health affects everyone in one way or another, which is why we need to bring Active Mind to UW. All students are welcome and encouraged to join. Please be sure to keep in mind that this is NOT a support group, and we do not provide any mental health counseling of any kind. We are not mental health professionals, but rather students interested in spreading mental health information and awareness, in order to stand up against the stigma surrounding mental health problems, and to promote a mentally healthy campus. Students with or without mental health issues are equally encouraged to join.
