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Council proclaims May 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month; NAMI Clackamas highlights stigma and services
Summary
The City Council proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month and heard a NAMI Clackamas presentation on peer support, local programs and the goal of reducing stigma so people seek help sooner.
The West Linn City Council declared May 2025 to be Mental Health Awareness Month and invited Gary Marske of NAMI Clackamas to brief the council on local programs. Marske described peer-support groups, family education classes, suicide bereavement support and outreach to adults in custody, and emphasized the role of stigma in delaying treatment.
"It's 11 years between the time that you realize you might have an issue and the time that you actively seek help," Marske said, noting stigma as a primary barrier and urging a change in language and public conversation to encourage earlier care. He listed local NAMI offerings, including peer-to-peer classes and family-to-family education sessions, and noted fundraising events and volunteer opportunities to support the nonprofit's work.
Council members thanked Marske and offered city support such as event space for NAMI activities. Marske said NAMI Clackamas currently receives less than 15% of its annual funding from county sources and relies on grants and fundraising for operations.
