This year’s theme for Mental Health Month is: Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World.

This May, through new resources, we will help you:
• Learn how modern life affects mental health with new tools to navigate our changing world.
• Act by building your coping toolbox so you can manage stress, difficult emotions, and challenging situations.
• Advocate to improve mental health for yourself, your friends and family, and your community.

Fact Sheets

4 Things Likely Affecting Your Mental Health, and 4 Things You Can Do About It

Negative News Coverage and Mental Health

Things You Can Say When You’re Not “Fine”

What to Say When Someone Tells You They’re Fine, But They’re Not

Building Your Coping Toolbox

Helpful vs. Harmful: Ways to Manage Emotions

Coping Tools

Letter: Time to Talk

Word Bank: What’s Underneath?

Worksheet: Dealing with Tough Situations

Worksheet: Looking for Good

Worksheet: Managing Frustration and Anger

Worksheet: Processing Trauma and Stress

Worksheet: Social Confidence and Connections

Decision Map: Where to Go

Coloring Pages

Download the entire 2024 Mental Health Month Toolkit here.

MHA’s 2023 Mental Health Month campaign is focused on how surroundings impact mental health, and we are calling for individuals to look around, look within.

• Healthy Home Environments
• Safe and Stable Housing
• The Outdoors & Nature
• Neighborhoods and Towns
• Shaping Your Home Environment Worksheet 
• Opening Your Mind to the Outdoors Worksheet

Click here to order printed copies of “Look Around, Look Within” materials.

It’s never wrong to go back to the fundamentals. What are the fundamentals of mental wellness? Here are some tip sheets to help.
(*MHAKY branded items coming soon!*)

• Starting to Think about Mental Health
• What Plays a Role in Developing Mental Health Conditions
• Maintaining Good Mental Health
• Recognizing When You Need Help with Your Mental Health
• What To Do When You Need Help
• Where To Go
• Terms To Know

May 10, 2022 Kentucky GIVES Day! Donate today to help us keep reaching more Kentuckians.

May 10, 2022 12:00PM-1:00PM EST: Exploring “Back to Basics” The Toolkit. Register here.

May 10, 2022 2:00-3:00PM ET: Webinar – Parenting with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, hosted by Mental Health and Develomental Disabilities National Training Center. Register here.

May 11, 2022 1:00PM-2:00PM EST: What’s In the Numbers? Mental Health Screenings Data from 2020-Present Register Here.

May 13, 2022 WEAR GREEN FOR MENTAL HEALTH DAY. Share your photos with us using #MHAKY #WearGreen or by email to mtimmerman@mhaky.org.

May 15, 2022 1:00PM-5:00PM EST: LexRage Car Bash for MHA Kentucky, $10 for 5 minutes to bash a P.T.Cruiser that was donated. Details here. Tickets sold on site only!

May 16, 2022 1:00PM-5:00PM EST: LexRage Car Bash for MHA Kentucky, final day. Tickets on site only!

Tentative Date: May 17, 2022 12:00PM Central, 1:00 PM EDT: “What Happens When You Call a Crisis Line?” Register Here.

Friday, May
Saturday, May 21, 2022 Come See us at Mindfest Louisville! https://www.mindfestlou.com/www.mindfestlou.com/

May 23, 2022 9:00 AM-4:00 PM EST: Mental Health First Aid Course, Adult, Virtual, FREE For Kentuckians. Register Here.

May 24, 2022 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST: What Is Mental Health? Discussion Register Here

PREVIOUSLY:
Sunday, May 1, 2022 First day of the toolkit: Kentucky branded items will be launched!
Tuesday, May 3, 2022, 11:30AM-1:00PM EDT: Mental Health Month Kickoff Luncheon with Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, Capital Plaza Hotel.
Tickets Available NOW. Sponsorships still available. Scholarships also being awarded!
May 5, 2022, 12:00 PM EST : Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Day Luncheon by Kentucky Partnership for Children & Families
May 5, 2022, 6:00 PM EST: Kentucky STARS Peer Awards Reception Nominate a Peer!
May 6, 2022, 8:00AM-3:00PM EST: Kentucky STARS Consumer Conference (Which Includes Peer Reception) Register Here

The past calendar year has been stressful for everyone. We’re here with some additional tools to help everyone improve their mental health, regardless of the stressors they’ve faced in the past. Join us for our webinars on the series to dive a little deeper into the fact sheets. We’re also spotlighting some different types of mental health therapy and addressing trauma head-on in our May webinars. Mid-April begins our Decriminalization of Mental Illness Spotlight Series, where we’ll explore programs in Kentucky that are moving us toward treatment of behavioral health issues and away from incarceration.

Accepting Reality
Adapting After Trauma and Stress
Dealing With Anger and Frustration
Getting Out of Thinking Traps
Processing Big Changes
​Taking Time for Yourself

• Owning Your Feelings
• ​Finding the Positive After Loss
• Eliminating Toxic Influences
• ​Creating Healthy Routines
• Supporting Others
• ​Connecting with Others

In 2019 we expanded upon the 2018 theme of #4Mind4Body and taking it to the next level, as we explore the topics of animal companionship (including pets and support animals), spirituality, humor, work-life balance, and recreation and social connections as ways to boost mental health and general wellness.
Learn More!

• Animal Companionship
• Spirituality and Religion
• Humor
• Work-Life Balance
• Social Connections & Recreation

While the topics above are relevant to all Americans, they may be especially important to the health of those living with chronic health conditions and the people who care for them. That’s why we’ve put together these additional resources.

• Infographic: Chronic Health Conditions and Mental Health
• Diabetes and Mental Health
• Cancer and Mental Health
• HIV/AIDs and Mental Health
• Chronic Pain and Mental Health
• Depression and Heart Disease
• Caregiver Basics – What You Need to Know
• Being an Effective Caregiver
• Infographic: Family Caregivers

It’s not too late to download the entire 2019 Mental Health Month Toolkit.

• Diet and Nutrition
• Exercise
• The Gut-Brain Connection
• Sleep
• Stress

Visit mentalhealthamerica.net/4mind4body to see what people did for our #4Mind4Body Challenge in 2018!
Download the entire 2018 toolkit here.

Focus and help identify if a behavior is risky or not.

• Risky Business: Marijuana
• Risky Business: Prescription Drug Misuse (PDF)
• Risky Business: Exercise (PDF)
• Risky Business: Sex (PDF)
• Risky Business: Compulsive Buying (PDF)
• Risky Business: Internet Addiction (PDF)

You can visit the entire 2017 Mental Health Month Toolkit here.

Focus on What Mental Illness Feels Like.

Fact sheets include:

• Life With Anxiety (PDF)
• Life With Depression (PDF)
• Life With Bipolar (PDF)
• Life With Psychosis (PDF)
• Life in Recovery (PDF)

Worksheets included:

• Think Ahead (PDF)
• Stopping Stupid Thoughts (PDF)
• What’s Underneath? (PDF)

Explore the rest of the 2016 Toolkit here.