Council Message by Mayor Craig Margolis
Six months ago, I shared plans of a community initiative designed to address mental health concerns in our community. Through our many programs, commissions, and initiatives, Montgomery wants to continue to be known as a caring community, and promoting good mental health will be another way of demonstrating we are.
Supporting good mental health is a public health issue. With one in five people experiencing some type of mental health issue each year, it is easy to understand why promoting mental health is a community priority. As we live our familiar modern life, we are inundated with financial, health, work, and loneliness concerns. We juggle competing deadlines and consume media that raises our awareness yet heightens our anxiety. Layer on global conflicts and global health problems, it is easy to understand how these concerns take their toll and impact our lives.
Mental Health includes our psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act, and it also helps determine how we manage the stressors in our lives. We hope to improve our community’s well-being by supporting good mental health and preventing substance abuse and suicides.
So, how can Montgomery play a role in our resident’s well-being? In this issue of the Montgomery Bulletin, you will find an article about the first community conversation scheduled for May 12. I encourage you to mark your calendars to be involved, even if it is to get out and support your neighbor or loved one’s well-being. Future community conversations about positive mental health, misconceptions, and the processes of recovery will be highlighted on social media and the City website at www.montgomeryohio.gov/mental-health.
We all can find ways to assist our neighbors and loved ones to secure assistance, and I invite you to join us. You can intervene on another’s behalf and ask for help when they need it. You may even save someone’s life. Become a part of the solution.