A Mental Health Public Awareness Campaign

Co-Sponsored by Saint Louis MHB

and the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission 

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The St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission (VPC) and the St. Louis Mental Health Board (MHB) are bringing a message of wellness into selected St. Louis City Wards (Wards 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 13). MHB staff will be visiting neighborhood groups to present about mental health awareness, normalizing self-care, and how to access help.

 

Here are some of the tips our staff members will be sharing:

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Normalize Conversations About Mental Health​

• Mental health is how we think, feel, and act

• Physical health and mental health are linked

• Our mental health is on a range from good to poor.

• When our mental health is good, we think positively,
  feel confident and act calmly

• Poor mental health is when everyday things become
  difficult to cope with

 

Make checking in on yourself a routine.

• How am I feeling today?

• What has been worrying me lately?

• Am I providing my body with its basic needs?

• What am I doing to bring myself joy?

• Who do I have in my corner?

 

Practice self-care. Be patient with yourself!​

• Do a simple activity that you enjoy

• Write or read about something that interests you

• Find quiet time to just sit and be still

• Spend time outside in nature

• Make art or express your creativity

• Listen to or play music

• Do physical activity that is calming like walking or yoga

• Do physical activity that is energizing like dancing or
  exercising

• Learn a new skill

 

For more ways to support mental wellness in your neighborhood whether you have 5 minutes or 8 hours, click here.  To learn more about our partners who are doing great work in St. Louis, check out our Mental Health Awareness Month insert from the St. Louis American. 

 

To further support Wellness in Neighborhoods, MHB will award up to $5,000 in the seven St. Louis City Wards that MHB Staff is visiting to host fun, social neighborhood-level events focused on mental health and well-being and that offer education on how to access mental health services and supports. You can preview the application questions here. 

 

Eligible applicants: Must be legal entities such as nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, community development corporations or businesses. Informal groups such as neighborhood associations, block units, or clubs must be sponsored by a legal entity.  The sponsoring legal entity will submit the application for funding.  If selected, the sponsoring legal entity will be responsible for receiving, managing, and reporting on the grant funds.

 

Planning Committee:  If there are multiple neighborhoods in your Ward interested in conducting events, we recommend establishing a planning committee of three or more residents across the Ward. The planning committee may propose multiple events and activities in one application as long as the combined total of all events does not exceed $5,000.

 

Funding Decisions:  Multiple applications from one Ward may result in all applications being returned to the project contacts with a request by MHB staff for coordination.  MHB will have final approval on which events are funded.  Submission of a proposal does not guarantee funding. 

 

Deadlines:

May 1 – May 31 for events in July or later

June 1 – June 30 for events in August or later

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