It has been 10 years since the launch of the Sacramento County Department of Health Services Division of Behavioral Health Services “Mental Illness: It’s Not Always What You think” project, and in that time, the project has made significant progress in creating partnerships to reduce stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness.
Funded by Mental Health Services Act, the project aims to reduce stigma and discrimination by providing mental health information, resources and support to individuals and families in Sacramento County. By educating the community, the project aims to eliminate barriers for people living with mental illness and provide a deeper understanding of mental health.
When the project launched in 2012, only four community members were willing to be spokespeople. Fast forward to today, the
Stop Stigma Speakers Bureau has almost 200 members who share their experiences living with mental illness, and countless community members have volunteered to be the public face of the campaign on billboards, in media interviews or at events.
The project has more than 11,000 followers on its social media channels and more than 120 community-based organizations have collaborated with the project since it launched.
“We estimate that nearly 355,000 Sacramento County residents live with a mental illness, but only a third will seek professional help due to stigma and discrimination,” said Ryan Quist, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Health Services. “Mental illness is a treatable and manageable condition that is unfairly stigmatized.”
