Rotary club plans mental health expo at Smithfield Center
Published Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 12:41 p.m.
- The Mental Health Expo flyer highlights five focus areas. (Submitted photo)
The Rotary Club of Smithfield will host its first Vibrant Mental Health Expo on May 13th at the Smithfield Center.
The aim is to connect Isle of Wight residents with mental health providers and aid organizations to further Rotary International’s 2024 theme of ‘Creating Hope’.
The free event, scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the Smithfield Center, will focus on happiness overcoming depression, joy over sadness, strength overcoming pain, stability overcoming financial stress, and stability overcoming addiction. Focus on five core areas of freedom to overcome.
At least 45 organizations have confirmed their participation, and the list continues to grow.
“We got another call today asking us to come back,” said Rotary Club President Joseph Johnson, who is coordinating the event.
According to the Rotary Club’s website, the current list includes Alcoholics Anonymous, Isle of Wight County Christian Outreach Program, Healing Waters Worship Center in Carrollton, Western Tidewater Free Clinic and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. include. A complete list can be found at https://smithfieldvarotary.org/vibrant-emotional-health-expo/.
“We hope to have a good crowd,” Johnson said.
The 2023 White House Report on Mental Health states, “Everyone has been affected by a mental health disorder at some point in their life, or has faced such challenges themselves.” It has been stated. “A high school student with so much anxiety that he can’t concentrate in class. Or a new parent struggling to balance postpartum life with a baby and returning to work. Or a father who is in repeated treatment for schizophrenia. Some children struggle to maintain housing and jobs. Each problem exacerbates another. Our country is facing a mental health crisis among people of all ages. and the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating these issues.”
In 2021, Isle of Wight County adults reported having five poor mental health days in the past 30 days, according to the 2024 National County Health Rankings by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Research Institute. is equivalent to state and national. average.
According to the report, the Isle of Wight has a ratio of mental health workers to residents of one in 1,910, well below the state’s one in 410.
