%20(7).png)
The Hub: Behavioral Health Action Organization for Southwestern CT
A division of the Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP)
_PNG.png)
Community Education & Advocacy
We raise awareness and fight stigma in the community, as well as offer training to target groups such as municipal workers, librarians, crisis providers, faith leaders, the Latino community, and more. We help coordinate and promote Mental Health First Aid and suicide prevention trainings, and help provide speakers. Our advocacy work includes providing advocacy training and legislative updates and working with legislators to develop and pass bills that address issues in our communities. Scroll down to learn more and to check out the 2018 Mental Health Walk slideshow, courtesy of CAC and Board member Sue Buchsbaum.
Legislative Advocacy
We help build advocacy skills in the behavioral health community through trainings and presentations, and we connect with legislators on a regular basis. More info here.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Each May we coordinate & promote over 30 awareness events throughout the region: films, speakers, book clubs, art shows and concerts, trainings, and an annual awareness walk. We send out a weekly email featuring a compelling video as part of an electronic awareness campaign, and our CAC members help us set up resource tables in local town libraries.
Wellness Month
We organize a month-long initiative each October to provide free mental health screenings at community events throughout our 14 towns. This initiative reaches thousands with information & resources. Each year approximately 1000 people are screened and about 1/3 are identified as high-risk and given referrals to treatment. (October 2017 Wellness Month details here)
We're also working to integrate behavioral health screenings into town social services and into urgent care through the Primary Care Action Group. See the tool we developed here.
Other Community Education & Awareness Activities
We provide speakers, organize forums & films, sponsor & promote mental health & suicide prevention trainings, & more throughout each year. We collaborate with many partners to help offer trainings to the public or specific groups or organizations. We also organize committees around specific projects. Current committees are working on Media Awareness and Hospital to Community Connections.
Check out our Caring Network Videos here.
All our Community Education & Awareness initiatives and Legislative Advocacy work are done together with our many partners throughout the region: consumers, providers, town reps. To learn more and participate, please read about our Catchment Area Council and contact info@healthymindsct.org if you'd like to join us!
