2022 Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month

Graphics & Content by Dylan Arrieta, Valentino Valdez, and the CMHA Planning Committee // May 22, 2022 (last updated)

CMHA Banner (Navy Follow Horizontal Right)

 

National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance (CMHA) Celebrations

Month: May | Week: May 1-7, 2022 | Day: May 5, 2022

In December of 2021, the Surgeon General issued an advisory highlighting the urgent need to address our nation’s youth mental health crisis further exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The advisory stresses the urgency of a new CHMA campaign message – that it’s time to move beyond awareness and into acceptance – for multiple reasons.

  1. To accept that 1 in 5 youth experiences a mental health challenge
  2. To accept that mental health challenges must be met with understanding and support
  3. To accept that bias and discrimination toward individuals who experience mental health challenges creates a barrier to seeking treatment – and it must be eliminated
  4. To accept that our youth are facing serious challenges ahead that need to be addressed
  5. To accept that the future wellbeing of our country depends on how we support and invest in the next generation

Check out the latest infographic on reframing language to learn more >>

Download and print our postcard >>

How you can take part

We encourage people to wear green in a show of support and recognition of Children’s Mental Health Acceptance. Green is the national color of mental health, representing acceptance, hope, strength, support, and encouragement for people who struggle with mental illness.

Participate in our social media challenge and win some cool prizes:

Beginning May 1, 2022, wear green and share how you take care of your mental health as part of our social media campaign.
Each social media post will count as an entry and multiple entries are allowed. We will draw a couple of winners every week in May. Winners will receive swag items sponsored and provided by the CMHA Planning Committee.

Guidelines

  • Encourage your social media followers to talk about how they and their families, for example, take care of their mental health, by sharing a photo of yourself or posting a video. You can even print and fill out a sign to use in your post! See our weekly challenges below.
  • Follow & tag @camhdhawaii and post with the following hashtags: #CMHA22 #CMHAW22 #MentalHealthTalkHI #KeikiMentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthWellness #HelpYourKeiki #HealthyWeLiveHawaii #HIDOEHereToHelp #ITYB
  • You may also want to tag our partners and sponsors: @hawaiidoh @hawaiipublicschools @youthpartners808 @helpyourkeiki @mhahawaii @hawaiifamilies @cfshawaii @hiwomeninfilmmaking @kolohekaimusic
Week 1 Challenge (May 1 to May 7)
Week 1 Challenge: In your photo or video post, complete the phrase, “I think I’m beautiful because ___________.”
Week 2 Challenge (May 8 to May 14)
Week 2 Challenge: In your photo or video post, complete the phrase, “I take care of my mental health by ___________.”
Week 3 Challenge (May 15 to May 21)
Week 3 Challenge: In your photo or video post, complete the phrase, “Today, I am grateful for ___________.”
Week 4 Challenge (May 22 to May 28)
Week 4 Challenge: In your photo or video post, complete the phrase, “I wasn’t good at ___________ before, but I’m great at it now.”
BONUS Challenge
BONUS Challenge: Visit one of the five buildings that are lit green and do a post of your choosing! See buildings and light schedule below.

  • The month of May: Aloha Tower
  • May 1-26: Hawaiki Tower
  • May 2-6: Honolulu Hale
  • May 2-8: Hawaiʻi State Capitol
  • May 23-27: IBM Building

Downloadable Sign Templates & Virtual Backgrounds

Download our sign templates >> Printable Week 1 | Printable Week 2 | Printable Week 3 | Printable Week 4
Download our virtual background images >> Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 | Option 5 | Option 6 | Option 7

Join our in-person and virtual events.

See our events calendar below; you may click on it to download a copy. Please note that the CMHA Planning Committee is adding more events to the list.

2022 Children's Mental Health Acceptance Calendar of Events (as of May 3, 2022)

 

*Please register in advance for the following events:

Keiki Self-Care: Build-a-Toolbox | May 3, 2022 at 12:00 PM
Sponsored by the Mental Health of America – Hawaiʻi
May is Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month. Join us for a very special Keiki Self-Care: Build-a-Toolbox webinar, with our guest speakers Jessica Gleason and Tammy Ching, from the Wailuku Public Library. We will be building a toolbox full of sensory enrichment tools, self-care items, and mental health supportive books. We are happy to have our friends from the library to give us fantastic book recommendations and to talk about upcoming community opportunities at the library. If you are looking for ways to build up your keiki’s toolbox, this is the training for you! Register >>
Note: Registration closes on May 2, 2022 at 12 PM
National Mental Health Acceptance Month Webinar Series Webinar 1: Mental Health 101 – Overview of Mental Health Issues in the Modern World | May 4, 2022 from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Sponsored by the U.S. HUD & SAMHSA
SAMHSA and HUD will kick off their celebration of National Mental Health Acceptance Month with an introduction and general overview of mental health issues post COVID-19. This first webinar of a 4-part series will feature speakers from SAMHSA and HUD, as well as HUD mental health practitioners. Register here: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/842999 | Access Code: 4670871#
National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Day 2022: Peer Support for Youth and Families | May 5, 2022 from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Sponsored by SAMHSA
Join SAMHSA in honoring youth and family peer support on National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Day. This event features an exciting panel of speakers to lift up child and youth mental health, including NTTAC partner, Youth MOVE National! (the registration link has been removed, October 18, 2022)
Suicide Prevention 101 | May 5, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Sponsored by Mental Health of America – Hawaiʻi
Suicide Prevention Foundations SP 101 is a basic yet foundational presentation that introduces audiences to the major suicide prevention concepts and skills. Content includes core principles, local data, risk/protective factors, warning signs, best practices for connecting with someone who may be having thoughts of suicide, safe messaging, and community resources. The presentation helps to create common knowledge and language around suicide prevention for any adult audience and is meant to be a springboard to other more in-depth/advanced trainings. It is recommended that if you have recently been closely affected by a loved one’s suicide death to reconsider attending this session as it may be a trigger for you. Registration for this session is capped at 50 participants. Participants should be prepared to have their cameras on. Register >>
Youth Mental Health First Aid | May 10, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Sponsored by the Mental Health of America – Hawaiʻi
Register >>
National Mental Health Acceptance Month Webinar Series Webinar 2: 988 is Not a Joke – National Suicide Prevention Hotline Launch | May 11, 2022 from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Sponsored by the U.S. HUD & SAMHSA
Note: SAMHSA and HUD will introduce SAMHSA’s new Suicide Prevention Hotline (988). The webinar will also address suicide prevention for youth and the BIPOC community, in addition to touching on substance use. Register here: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/843001 | Access Code: 8477433#
Youth Mental Health in Hawaiʻi | May 17, 2022 at 12:00 PM
Sponsored by the Mental Health of America – Hawaiʻi
Nationally, the alarm has been raised about increases in mental health issues among youth and there is a growing awareness of youth needs and vulnerability. In this session, the presenters will give you an overview of the state of youth mental health in Hawai`i, share possible solutions and available resources available both locally and nationally. Register >>
Note: Registration closes on May 16, 2022 at 12:00pm.
National Mental Health Acceptance Month Webinar Series Webinar 3: Get Help – Reducing Stigma Associated with Mental Health | May 18, 2022 from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Sponsored by the U.S. HUD & SAMHSA
SAMHSA and HUD will focus on reducing stigma associated with mental health, to encourage those with potential mental health issues to seek professional help. This webinar will also concentrate on the BIPOC community, addressing stigma specific to these populations. Register here: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/843003 | Access Code: 5955873#
National Mental Health Acceptance Month Webinar Series Webinar 4: Now What? – Mental Health Issues in Post-COVID America | May 25, 2022 from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Sponsored by the U.S. HUD & SAMHSA
SAMHSA and HUD will examine how to address mental health issues in post-COVID America. Besides the physical toll the pandemic took on Americans, it has also greatly affected our nation’s mental health. This webinar will discuss how to handle and move past multiple co-occurring pandemics, using a mental health focus on substance use disorder, housing, work, education, and transportation among other relevant topics. Register here: https://ems8.intellor.com/login/843005 | Access Code: 6268721#
Mental Health Mahalo Awards and Acceptance Celebration: Gathering in Reconnection and Gratitude | May 25, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Sponsored by the Mental Health of America – Hawaiʻi
Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi is holding our 16th Annual Mental Health Mahalo Awards and Acceptance Celebration Luncheon on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. We are the oldest mental health organization in the state and Hawaii’s leading voice for mental health advocacy, working to increase access to care and reduce discrimination against people living with mental illness. The event will celebrate our community leaders, advocates, and organizations that have dedicated themselves to promoting mental wellness and improving the care of people with mental health issues through positive and innovative programs and leadership. Register >>
Youth Mental Wellness Film Fest - Screening and Q&A with the Filmmakers | May 26, 2022 at 4:00 PM
Sponsored by the Hawaiʻi Women in Filmmaking
RSVP >>

Catch us on TV!

See our TV appearances on KHON2 News Living808 or on Vimeo (below); you may click on the calendar to download a copy.

  • Added to the schedule on 5/4/22: KHON2 News Wakeup2Day – Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 6:15 AM
    Catch Dr. Scott Shimabukuro from CAMHD as he talks about what Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month is all about.

2022 Children's Mental Health Acceptance Week TV Schedule on KHON Living808 (as of May 7, 2022)

 

506 Living808: The Department of Health Offers Resources to Youth Dealing With Mental Health

#CMHA22 Living808 The Department of Health Offers Resources to Youth Dealing With Mental Health – click to watch
505 Living808: Roman De Peralta Shares Special Music Video in Honor of National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month

#CMHA22 Living808 Roman De Peralta Shares Special Music Video in Honor of National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month – click to watch
505 WakeUp2Day: National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month

#CMHA22 WakeUp2Day National Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month – click to watch
504 Living808: Bullying and Its Impact On Our LGBTQ+ Youth

#CMHA22 Living808 Bullying and Its Impact On Our LGBTQ+ Youth – click to watch
503 Living808: Parent Peer Support from Hawaii Families As Allies

#CMHA22 Living808 Parent Peer Support from Hawaii Families As Allies – click to watch
502 Living808 Kicks off Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month with Dr. Mestisa Gass

#CMHA22 Living808 Kicks off Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Month with Dr. Mestisa Gass – click to watch
 

Check out and share these exceptional mental health resources available to children, youth, and families.

  • Help Your Keiki provides local resources regarding children’s mental health and evidence-based treatments.
  • Here to Help supports student mental health and well-being through an array of school and community-based resources, cultivates safe and supportive environments, and ensures every student has what they need to thrive and reach their full potential.
  • The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (NFFCMH) offers resources and activities to help families get involved throughout May.
  • Mālama da Mind is a locally developed site for Hawai’i Island families, filled with great resources for families (regardless of location).
  • Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi hosts an array of self-help tools and supports for individuals of all ages.
  • For free, 24/7 crisis support, text ALOHA to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor via Crisis Text Line or call Hawaiʻi CARES on Oʻahu (808) 832-3100 or toll-free +1 (800) 753-6879.

Led by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division, the Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Planning Committee dedicates itself to serving children and families and leading children’s mental health acceptance efforts in our islands. Participating organizations include: Adult Mental Health Division (AMHD), CAMHD Safe Spaces Committee, Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Child and Family Service, Community Children’s Councils, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, EPIC ʻOhana, Evidence-Based Services, Hawaiʻi Women in Filmmaking, Hawaii Families as Allies, Help Your Keiki, Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi, and Sutter Health Kāhi Mōhala.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Irvine
Public Information Specialist
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division
Phone: (808) 733-9346
Email: [email protected]

PDF: Official Press Release (released May 2, 2022)
PDF: CMHA22 FAQs
PDF: CMHA22 Proclamation (Governor)
PDF: CMHA22 Proclamation (C&C HNL)
PDF: CMHA22 Proclamation (Hawaiʻi County)
PDF: CMHA22 Proclamation (Kauaʻi County)
PDF: CMHA22 Proclamation (Maui County)

 

Last reviewed on October 24, 2022