SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Edited News Release/KY3) – In recent years, the suicide mortality rate in Springfield-Greene County has surpassed the averages of both Missouri and the United States. For men in our community, this problem persists at an even higher rate. Men over 45 are the group most likely to die by suicide. These jarring statistics indicate an overdue conversation about men’s mental health.
Tuesday, during National Suicide Prevention Week, the Healthy Living Alliance of the Ozarks (HLA) will start that conversation by launching a men’s mental health campaign. The campaign message encourages men in Greene County to check in with other men in their lives and to be open and honest about how they are feeling.
These conversations can kickstart with a simple question: “Hey man, you good?”
Along with self-care strategies and healthy behaviors, connection with friends, family, colleagues, and professional help when needed can alleviate a mental health occurrence before it becomes a crisis. “Hey man, you good?” aims to kickstart those connections through conversation.
The project, funded through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Advancing Mental Wellness grant program, will utilize partnerships with HLA member organizations—including Burrell Behavioral Health and Community Partnership of the Ozarks. Over three years, HLA member organizations will collaborate on community outreach, resource sharing through MentalHealth417.com, and encouraging men to have conversations about mental health through various mediums.
The message of “Hey man, you good?” echoes the theme of this year’s National Suicide Prevention Week: “Talk away the dark.” We’re encouraging our community to use this week to open a dialogue about mental health. One conversation can save a life.
For more information about “Hey man, you good?” and community mental health efforts, visit MentalHealth417.com.To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com
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