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DC Council Recognizes July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember David A. Catania (At-Large) co-hosted a mental health information resource fair in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell DC National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Joined by Councilmembers Michael Brown and Harry Thomas, the fair was held in the Atrium of the Wilson Building, at 1350 Pennsylvannia Ave, from 11:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Various Department of Mental Health officials, community mental health providers, and consumer groups attended the fair, providing resources and information to the community. Also in attendance was Nancy Carter, co-founder of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) in Los Angeles, and Charles Lewis, Executive Director of the DC Mental Health Association.
As Chairman of the Committee on Health, Councilmember Catania has devoted much of his attention to helping District residents struggling with mental illnesses, especially in minority populations. “Too often, people with mental illnesses in minority communities feel stigmatized by others and are reluctant to come forward and get help,” said Councilmember Catania. “I hope this fair and the other events scheduled this month in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell shed light on this pervasive problem and bring resources to those who need it most.”
In 2008 the US House of Representatives designated July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Bebe Moore Campbell was a well-known author and advocate for the mentally ill, co-founding the National Alliance for Mental Illness in Urban Los Angeles. As a novelist and journalist, Bebe Moore Campbell sought to counter stereotypes of minorities with mental illnesses and draw awareness to this marginalized segment of society. She passed away in November 2006. Councilmembers Catania, Brown, and Thomas honored Bebe Moore Campbell with a ceremonial resolution at the July 13 Legislative Meeting, titled the “Bebe Moore Campbell DC National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month Resolution.” |
