Mental Health Awareness Month 2025 - Riverbend Community Mental Health

Mental Health Matters

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Riverbend Community Mental Health will host community events and training, connecting with community members and reiterating the need for mental health awareness and vigilance.

Mental Health Awareness Month, first established in 1949, takes place each year in May to recognize the importance of mental health, raise awareness of wellness in the lives of Americans, and celebrate those who have recovered from mental illness. Riverbend will mark this important commemoration through events reaching the public, key stakeholders, and staff.

“Riverbend is proud of our 60+ year history of providing mental health support to thousands of people in our 30-community service area,” said Lisa K. Madden, president & CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health. “Mental Health Awareness Month may come once a year, but finding best practices to develop and safeguard your own mental health is a positive action to take every day. Taking stock of one’s own mental health and being observant about the needs of your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues is so important to our overall wellbeing.”

Riverbend’s Mental Health Awareness Month activities will include:

COMMUNITY WORKOUT/WALK
Riverbend staff and the public will explore the important connection between physical fitness and mental health at Riverbend’s Community Workout/Walk, taking place Monday, May 12.

A team from Riverbend’s InSHAPE program will offer a free mini session combining education, a community walk and a bonus fitness activity, starting and ending at Riverbend with a stop in White Park as part of the program. Through one-on-one coaching and conversations with clients, InSHAPE specialists may discuss topics such as mindfulness, listening to your body, or the importance of sleep, hydration and healthy nutrition. Join us for a fun and energetic event and learn some of the healthy tips they typically share with clients. Click here for more details and registration.

COMMUNITY-CENTERED CRISIS RESPONSE TRAINING
Join Riverbend for a free, community-focused training session. IEA, or Involuntary Emergency Admission, refers to the court process by which someone is admitted on an involuntary basis to a Designated Receiving Facility for treatment.

This training will focus on understanding the presentation of a mental health or substance use disorder crisis. Participants will learn trauma-informed skills to support individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder (SUD) crisis, plus gain understanding of community resources and psychiatric levels of care in New Hampshire.

Staff and volunteers from community service agencies that have regular interaction with people who experience mental health concerns will benefit from this training. Domestic violence coalitions, police departments, first responders, human service nonprofits, and Probation and Parole Officers (PPO) are welcome, but this training is also open to all interested members of our community. Educators, coaches and members of faith-based organizations may benefit as well. Click here for more details and registration.

Riverbend clinical staff will lead the training:
• Sheila C. Mullen, LICSW – Community Support Program (CSP) Director
• Melissa Stephens, LCMHC – Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services
• Kelsey Belanger, LCMHC – Assistant Director, Community Support Program

In addition, Riverbend will mark Mental Health Awareness Month through staff speaking opportunities, a donor appreciation event, sponsorships and digital content. Learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month nationally by visiting the Mental Health America website.

RIVERBEND – EVENTS’ DETAILS:
Community Workout/Walk
When: Monday, May 12, 2025
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Start at Riverbend Administrative Offices
29 School Street
Concord, NH 03301
Registration: To participate in this community workout, register here.

Crisis Response Training
When: Thursday, May 15, 2025
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Riverbend Administrative Offices
29 School Street
Concord, NH 03301
Registration: To participate in this community training, register here.

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Riverbend Community Mental Health is a private non-profit and one of the largest providers of specialized behavioral health services for children, adults, and their families in central New Hampshire. Nearly 6,000 children, families and adults are served annually. Core services include 24/7 emergency services; counseling services; comprehensive community and school-based services for children; addiction recovery services; and community support, vocational services, and residential programs for adults and seniors. For more information, visit www.riverbendcmhc.org, or follow @RiverbendCMHC on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), or LinkedIn.