Mental Health Awareness Month is underway in May, with organizations across Door and Kewaunee counties emphasizing the importance of emotional well-being and encouraging residents to seek support when needed.
Joe Krebsbach, director of the Door County Health and Human Services Department said the county continues to expand its behavioral health offerings to meet growing demand.
“We have multiple programs in behavior health that serve individuals in the community,” Krebsbach said. “From the traditional one-on-one counseling to groups and programs that provide additional services for further down the road in the mental health realm.”
Krebsbach noted that Mental Health Awareness Month plays a key role in normalizing conversations around mental health and reducing stigma.
“I think part of what’s cool about Mental Health Awareness Month is that it is OK to talk about where you are at and to seek help if you need it,” he said. “I think in our, and probably all communities, the need is rising.”
As part of the month’s programming, a Suicide Prevention Presentation and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay. The session will focus on recognizing warning signs and connecting individuals with appropriate resources.
Also beginning this month, the NWTC Learning and Innovation Center in Sister Bay is hosting the WeCOPE (Connecting with Our Positive Emotions) program, a seven-week course designed to help adults manage stress and build resilience using evidence-based strategies. The course is free and open to the public.
In Kewaunee County, local libraries and community organizations are offering mental health-related resources and educational materials throughout the month, including information on stress management, youth mental health and substance use prevention.
At the state level, Gov. Tony Evers and the Governor’s Interagency Council on Mental Health recently released a statewide action plan designed to improve access to care, strengthen crisis response systems and reduce barriers to treatment across Wisconsin.
Together, the local and statewide efforts reflect a continued push to make mental health care more visible, accessible and supported in rural communities.
