Mental Health Awareness Month

National Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and to stop the stigma associated with mental health. Mental illness can affect anyone and can develop at any time. Its effects spread well beyond the individual to family, friends, and coworkers. In the United States, one in five adults will experience a mental illness each year

17 percent of youth experience a mental health disorder each year, and 50 percent of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14. Feelings of worry, stress, or fear are normal during a crisis.

Hillsborough Township and the Hillsborough School District have been designated as  Stigma-Free Communities. The Stigma-Free initiative helps raise awareness surrounding mental health and strives to create an environment where individuals feel free to seek support to enhance their mental health, without fear of being stigmatized.