May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

As you might know from the awareness month directory on Theta’s Mental Health Resources web page, May is Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM). This month of awareness, advocacy, and action has been observed in the U.S. since 1949.

Kappa Alpha Theta aims to increase the dialogue around and support for all aspects of mental health. Though the Fraternity is not a mental healthcare provider, a large priority to Theta is to amplify the research-driven messages and education provided by partners like The Jed Foundation (JED). During 2023 MHAM, JED is prioritizing one critical message: Connection is the key to emotional well-being. We find the focus of this year’s campaign to be particularly relevant, as we hope the Theta experience provides a lifetime of connection for our members.

We encourage members to consider how to take care of themselves by connecting with others and check out JED’s MHAM hub. We also want to highlight two specific mental health resources available to Thetas all year long:

Mental Health Screening

Brief screenings are the quickest way to determine if you or someone you care about should connect with a mental health professional. (Think of these as a checkup from your neck up!) The screenings are completely anonymous and confidential.

Suicide Prevention Training

MindWise on Campus: Suicide Prevention for Students is an online training that can be offered to students as a 30-minute self-guided course or a 60-minute peer-led training. Developed by the creators of Signs of Suicide, an evidence-based program trusted by thousands, MindWise on Campus uses video and interactive learning to teach students how to ACT (acknowledge, care, tell) if they are worried about themselves or a friend.

Both the mental health screening and suicide prevention training are made available to members at no cost thanks to generous support from Theta Foundation.

We hope you will join us in creating a safe environment for members to discuss mental health during May (and throughout the year). If you know Thetas spreading awareness of the importance of mental health during MHAM, let us know by sharing on social media. Be sure to use hashtag #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth and tag @kappaalphatheta.