Events lift veil of shame surrounding mental illness among youth
For Release: April 28, 2008
Contact: Becky Bates 509.892.9241
“LIFTING THE VEIL”
May 3-9, 2009
Spokane’s Recognition of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week
Public awareness events include:
- Green Runners at Bloomsday—Sunday, May 3—a group of race participants will paint themselves green in support of the awareness campaign. Volunteers will also hand out green ribbons.
- “Lifting the Veil” Rally—Riverfront Park’s Northbank Shelter*—Sat., May 9 (1:00-4:00 p.m.)—includes games for children, resources for parents, inspirational speakers and live music.
- Awareness Walk—Begins at Riverfront Park’s Northbank Shelter*—Sat. May 9 (2:30-3:30 p.m.)—children, families, service providers and supporters walk along a trail marked with green ribbons (around the perimeter of the park) to demonstrate support for and awareness of children’s mental health needs.
Spokane, Wash.—It seems shocking to us now, but in the 1800s the mentally ill were often branded with green paint—a way to publicly label them “insane.”
In honor of Children’s Mental Health Week (May 3-9), local service providers that support mental health for children and youth will focus attention on the color green, transforming this negative history of the color green into a positive future, full of life, new growth and new beginnings in an awareness campaign entitled “Lifting the Veil.”
Events, awareness campaigns and activities during the week seek to “lift the veil” of secrecy and shame that often accompanies mental illness and to educate parents and families about the importance of early identification and treatment. Lifting the Veil provides an important opportunity for our community to demonstrate that children and youth with mental health needs—as well as their families—thrive when they have the right supports and services available.
Participating local organizations include: Family Service Spokane, National Alliance on Mental Illness (Spokane Chapter), Passages Family Support (a program of Volunteers of America), Spokane Mental Health Child & Family Services, Statewide Action for Family Empowerment (SAFE-WA), Tamarack Center and Youth n’ Action.
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