A Message from WMHCA President Jenny White:

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the professionals who are members of WMHCA have chosen to dedicate their lives to learning, educating and serving the communities we live in. As an organization made up of members who strive to educate and bring awareness to the mental health needs of those they serve, WMHCA is committed to advocating for policies that prioritize the well-being of individuals and families affected by mental illness.  

This year, we want to join NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in celebrating  the Take the Moment campaign. We encourage you to explore the resources that NAMI and our other partners have put together to foster open dialogues, cultivate empathy for those we serve, and provide resources that we can use to grow as professionals and share with the people in our communities.

Project Access Northwest specializes in care coordination to improve specialty health care for low-income and uninsured people. They partner with mental health professionals to provide access to counseling for those who are under insured to gain access to quality mental health professionals.

DMHS: Deconstructing the Mental Health System is a group for mental health professionals who are committed to increasing access to mental health & wellness services for Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color. Their mission is to achieve an equitable, anti-racist Mental Health System. They provide resources to mental health professionals in our state to increase access  for our communities to more effective and equitable therapy and wellness.

This month, we encourage you to Take a Moment. Observe what is going on in your community. Reflect on who is being served and who is not. Get involved, whether it is by learning more about the needs of the populations you serve, gaining tools and resources to provide culturally relevant care, or joining WMHCA and other organizations in advocating for mental health professionals in Washington. Change starts with individuals committed to providing effective and equitable therapy to those we serve, change starts with us.