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York County proclaims May 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month, highlights crisis resources
Summary
The York County Board of Commissioners read and adopted a proclamation recognizing May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month and emphasized local and national crisis resources for residents and first responders.
The York County Board of Commissioners proclaimed May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month at its May 7 meeting and urged residents and agencies to increase awareness, reduce stigma and connect people to care.
The proclamation, read into the record by Vice President Commissioner Burford, noted that “mental health is an essential part of overall well-being” and called on “citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools in our commonwealth to recommit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health.”
The county flagged the 988 crisis lifeline as the primary 24/7 resource and provided a local option: “WellSpan crisis is also available at (717) 851-5320,” Executive Director of Human Services Melissa Leathery told the commissioners and attendees. Leathery urged residents to “practice self care, find ways to nurture your spirit, find joy, practice mindfulness, and seek those resources when needed.”
The reading also referenced recent local trauma: commissioners noted the county’s ongoing outreach and support for families, clinicians and first responders affected by a recent incident at UPMC. The proclamation states the board’s intent to “recommit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions.”
Commissioners and county human services staff were present for the proclamation and thanked multidisciplinary teams from human services, the area agency on aging, mental health and intellectual disabilities, and probation. The board’s enacted proclamation does not itself create new programs or funding; it is a formal recognition and public statement of priorities.
The county urged anyone in crisis to “call, chat, or text 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
