(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors declared May Mental Health Month, and throughout the month of May, businesses and organizations shared mental health resources and promoted mental wellbeing across Cass County. For example, yard signs with messages such as “Mental Health is Health” and “It’s OK to Not Be OK” were displayed outside the courthouse and at parks, and libraries and other businesses across Cass County shared brochures on mental health resources.

While Mental Health Month may be over, mental health resources remain available. Mental health resources and many mental health trainings can be requested at any time.

A message written in chalk says, Keep Trying Your Doing Great. Atlantic elementary students wrote mental health messages on sidewalks in downtown Atlantic during May thanks to a chalk donation from Cappel’s Ace Hardware.

Mental health crisis resources available to people in Cass County 24/7 include:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255), www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Project Recovery Iowa: Free counseling via virtual sessions, chat or phone available to all Iowans. (800) 447-1985, Spanish: 531-800-3687, www.projectrecoveryiowa.com
• Your Life Iowa: For problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, suicidal thoughts or mental health. (855)581-8111, www.yourlifeiowa.org
• Iowa Concern: For stress counseling, legal education, and financial concerns. www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/

For additional mental health resources in Cass County, see the Cass County Urgent Need Community Resource Guide at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/. For a paper copy of the guide,
call or visit the Cass County Extension Office at 805 W. 10th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022.

Free Mental Health Programs available in Cass County on request include:
Programs are available to businesses, churches, clubs, and other organizations.

• Question. Persuade. Refer. Suicide prevention training for adults by ISU Extension. Length: 1-1.5 hrs. Contact: Cass County ISU Extension at 712-243-1132.
• Make It OK: Stigma is one of the greatest barriers to people getting mental health treatment. This is a mental health stigma reduction training. Length: 45 min – 1.5 hours.
  Contact: Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh bhoegh@iastate.edu or 712-249-5870.
• NAMI Ending the Silence: Ending the Silence is a 50-minute session designed for middle and high school students. Students learn about mental health conditions through a brief
  presentation, short videos, and personal testimony from a young adult who describes their journey to recovery. Contact: Anna Killpack, Executive Director of NAMI Southwest Iowa,
  anna@namisouthwestiowa.com, 712-542-7904. (NAMI Southwest Iowa is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which is the nation’s largest grassroots mental
  health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.)
• CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) Is a suicide prevention training for adults related to reducing access to firearms. Length: 1 – 1.5 hrs Contact: Gina Moulas, Community
  Engagement and Partnership Coordinator for Suicide Prevention, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System, gina.moulas@va.gov, 402-810-0074.

For more information on available mental health programming or to discuss scheduling, call the Cass County ISU Extension Office at 712-243-1132.

Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Healthy Cass County meets on the second Monday of the month from 12-1 PM. Healthy Cass County welcomes participants from across Cass County. Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more information. For information on community wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.