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City of Phoenix plans first Mental Health Awareness Month in May with citywide events and green lighting
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Summary
City staff outlined activities for Phoenix’s first formal Mental Health Awareness Month in May, including lighting City Hall green, a May 8 community resource fair, a dedicated website, social media toolkit, and staff webinars; the initiative stems from a city task force.
The City of Phoenix will observe its first formal Mental Health Awareness Month in May with citywide outreach, a resource fair, and an online hub, Human Services Director Jacqueline Edwards told the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee on April 9.
“Twenty percent, or one in five adults in the United States, experience mental illness each year,” Edwards said, and local data show anxiety and depression are the top health concerns identified by Phoenix residents. A Maricopa County Community Health Needs Assessment cited by Edwards found 58 percent of Phoenix residents surveyed said they have difficulty accessing mental health care.
The city convened a 17‑member, manager‑appointed task force on community mental health, wellness, public health and safety to guide the month’s activities. The task force established three guiding principles: educate, end stigma, and connect residents to mental health and wellness resources.
Planned activities include lighting City Hall green for the entire month of May and a council/staff photo opportunity for those wearing green on May 6. A city website, phoenix.gov/mentalhealthmatters, will list resources and a calendar; the site links to 988 and 2‑1‑1 and invites community agencies to post events. A city‑sponsored community resource fair will be held May 8 at the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., bringing city departments and community agencies together to share information.
Human Resources will run staff‑focused virtual brown‑bag events on May 7, 14, 21 and 28 with topics including hobbies for mental and physical health and workplace mental health for leaders. The city’s communications office prepared a social media toolkit and a city‑specific logo, “Phoenix Mental Health Matters,” and will share facts and messages adapted from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) toolkit.
Edwards thanked the task force and the city’s multidisciplinary mental health team; she also named Deputy City Managers Ginger Spencer and Gina Montes for support. Council members voiced broad support and noted the stigma of seeking help as a barrier to care.
Edwards asked the subcommittee for feedback and collaboration with council offices as the city expands the program in future years.
