Help MHC Spread Mental Health Awareness

We are the Inner Peace Initiative and are raising funds for the Mental Health Collaborative. The focus of our campaign is mental health. Although our own experiences with mental health vary, we collectively believe in the power of awareness and education. Thus, the Inner Peace Initiative came to fruition.

Mental illness affects every compartment of life, including how we interact with the world, quality of sleep, emotional regulation, self-perception, and thought processing. Though treatment is available, not everyone has access to it. One of the first obstacles to treating mental illness is a lack of funds, even with health insurance. Quality treatment is not cheap; often, people do not have the luxury to take time off work. Another common obstacle is social stigma. People with mental illness will frequently suffer in silence to avoid a stigmatizing label. People fear losing their jobs, custody of children, or even relationships. Another obstacle is geographical location, which significantly affects developing countries and rural communities.

Due to the failure of established institutions, specific groups of people may experience more difficulty receiving treatment or finding a support network. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2022, Hispanic, Black, and Asian people received approximately 18% less

mental health treatment for any mental illness compared to Caucasian people. On another note, men received 15.3% less mental health treatment compared to women. These are just a couple of examples. Treatment must be more widely available to all demographics.

To put it into a Texan perspective, 60% of Texans with a mental illness did not receive care. Looking closer to home, Denton County is one of the lowest-funded counties in the lowest-funded state in terms of mental health expenses per capita. 20% of residents will be impacted by mental illness each year. Unfortunately, the county jail is the largest in-patient facility for behavioral health in Denton County. A punitive response to mental illness perpetuates the problem and harms reformative efforts.

Overall, the importance of awareness is to break down stigmatizing views, fix the broken system addressing mental illness, and ensure people that they do not have to suffer in silence. This is the path to inner peace.

How the Money Will Be Used

Our goal is to raise $200 to support the Mental Health Collaborative (MHC) in their mission to build resilient communities through mental health education. Even a modest goal like this can make a big difference. Here’s how the funds will be used:

$50 can help MHC create materials for community workshops, providing important resources for those seeking to understand and manage their mental health.

$100 will allow MHC to host a small workshop, bringing together community members to learn and share their experiences in a safe space.

$200 will support a full day of outreach activities, including online webinars and local support sessions that help spread awareness and provide mental health resources to those in need.

Every dollar raised will directly contribute to MHC’s ongoing efforts to educate and support our community in their journey toward better mental health.

Let's Get Personal

When it comes to mental health, sometimes the smallest steps can make the biggest impact. A single workshop or a set of educational materials can change someone’s life, giving them the tools to cope with challenges they face daily. We've seen firsthand how valuable it is to have access to mental health support, and that’s why this cause is so important to us.

For many, mental health resources can be life-changing, but they’re not always easy to access. By contributing to this campaign, you’ll be helping to ensure that more people have access to the support they need. Together, we can reach our $200 goal and make a difference in our community—one conversation, one resource, and one life at a time.

WAYS TO FIND MORE INFORMATION AND GET STARTED

GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION

National Institute of Mental Health - https://www.nimh.nih.gov Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - https://www.samhsa.gov

MENTAL CRISIS HOTLINES & RESOURCES IN TEXAS

Resources and Hotlines - https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/mental-health-crisis-services

SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

College Students - https://www.thementalhealthcoalition.org/college-mental-health-toolkit/

Folks with Disabilities - https://www.nchpad.org

Homeless or At-Risk - https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/mental-health-crisis-services/programs-people-who-are-homeless-or-risk-becoming-homeless

Migrants and Refugees - https://nnirr.org/education-resources/mental-health-for-migrants-refugee-communities/

People of Color -

Veterans - https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/mental-wellness

ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH STATISTICS AS OF 2024

People Suffering From Mental Illness In 2024

23.08% of adults, or almost 60 million people, experienced a mental illness in the past year. This includes 5.86% who experienced a severe mental illness.

Suffering From Anxiety

43% of adults said they felt more anxious in 2024 than the previous year. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the U.S., affecting 42.5 million people.

Have Access To Care

Only 43% of adults with a mental illness received mental health care in 2024.

Youth Suffering From Mental Health

20.17% of youth ages 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.

Diagnosed With ADHD

6.1 million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD.

Cost Of Mental Illness

Serious mental illness costs the country over $190 billion in lost earnings annually.