NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. May 1, 2024 – Nevada County Behavioral, Nevada County Public Health and community partners announced a new countywide mental health and suicide prevention campaign—Mental Health Matters Nevada County. The campaign launched on the first day of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Matters Nevada County is a local campaign to increase the public’s awareness, understanding, and access to mental health and suicide prevention resources. The central feature of the campaign is a new website, www.MentalHealthMattersNC.com, where residents can go to learn about important mental health and suicide prevention resources.
“Nevada County Behavioral Health and Public Health are excited to announce the launch of our Mental Health Matters Nevada County campaign,” said Phebe Bell, Nevada County Behavioral Health Director. “Our aim is to enhance awareness and accessibility to mental health services and suicide prevention resources within our community. Whether seeking support for yourself or a loved one, you can discover local resources conveniently located in one central hub.”
Mental Health Matters Nevada County’s goals are to:
- Increase access to mental health and suicide prevention resources;
- Increase awareness and understanding of mental health and suicide prevention;
- Create a single location (www.MentalHealthMattersNC.com) where residents can go to learn more about mental health and suicide prevention; and
- Affirm the importance of mental health and support efforts to destigmatize getting help.
“Whether someone is experiencing mental health challenges themselves, looking for ways to support someone they care about or just looking to learn, we think the campaign and the new website will have something for everyone,” said Kathy Cahill, Nevada County Public Health Director. “We care about the mental health of our community. One way we can help is by making sure people in our community understand the resources we have available and how to get help.”
The new website is organized into three sections: Crisis Services, Getting Help and General Resources. Crisis Services provides an overview of available supports, including in-person, phone, text and web chat crisis services for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis or thinking about suicide. This includes Nevada County’s new Mobile Crisis Team, available 24/7/365 at (530) 265-5811.
The Getting Help section demystifies the process of getting help by sharing the step-by-step process residents can go through to get help for a mental health challenge, depending on the challenges they’re experiencing and type of insurance they have (Medi-Cal, private insurance, uninsured, self pay). General Resources provides information on a range of general mental health and suicide prevention topics, including how to take care of yourself, take care of others, educational videos and an outreach toolkit.
In addition to the new website, the campaign includes newly developed outreach materials. The Nevada County Suicide Prevention Task Force will also become the Mental Health Matters Nevada County Coalition and continue to serve as a community coalition guiding local mental health and suicide prevention activities in Western Nevada County.
Residents can learn more about Mental Health Matters Nevada County by visiting www.MentalHealthMattersNC.com, including information, outreach materials, resources and FAQs about mental health and suicide prevention.