More than 1,300+ organizations, brands, government agencies and cultural leaders join together for first-ever Mental Health Action Day 

Largest cross-sector effort to shift from mental health awareness to mental health action organized in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing trauma of systemic racism

Learn more at www.MentalHealthActionDay.org 

Franklin, TN – Today the Williamson County Public Library System and more than 1,300 organizations, brands, government agencies and cultural leaders will participate in the inaugural Mental Health Action Day to drive the conversation from mental health awareness to mental health action. Convened by MTV Entertainment Group, Mental Health Action Day is an open-source movement, aimed at motivating people to take action to get mental health support — whether for themselves, their loved ones or for everyone by advocating for systemic changes for mental health access and equity.

Mental Health Action Day comes at a critical time. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on the mental health and well-being of people of color, young people and LGBTQ+ communities. Studies have found:

• Four in 10 adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, compared to 1 in 10 before the pandemic. 
• Fifty-six percent of young adults ages 18-24 reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression during the pandemic. 
• 48% of Black people reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during the pandemic versus 42% of all Adults and 40.9% of white people. 

Communities of Color, who have experienced disparate impacts of COVID-19 and the ongoing trauma of systemic racism from police brutality to anti-Asian violence, are also facing greater mental health challenges than ever before, but continue to face challenges accessing mental health care.

The cross-sector collaboration calling attention to the great need for support and action to address mental health in the same way in which we treat physical health needs is ground breaking. From media and tech companies to nonprofits, consumer brands, government agencies and cultural leaders, the actions today are only the beginning. Coalition partners will host a series of activations ranging from public events featuring experts and activists to employee engagement activities, all with the goal of encouraging and empowering people to take an initial action, whether for themselves or others, to support their mental health needs.

“A year into the pandemic, as mental health struggles have skyrocketed, we brought together more than 1,300 partners to not only meet the moment but also drive a movement of action on a public health crisis that affects every one of us,” said Erika Soto-Lamb, Vice President of Social Impact Strategy at MTV Entertainment Group. “From storytelling to creating content, together we can shatter stigma and normalize the act of getting help for those who need it.”

“We recognize that the past year has been a struggle for everyone. Our hope is that this initiative will be the start of an ongoing change to move all of us in our community to to care for ourselves and each other. Our facilities provide resources such as books and online databases that can help with education and research into these issues. Plus the local resources like Find Hope Franklin provide a starting point for where else to go locally for assistance,” said Jeffie Nicholson, Adult Services Manager at the Main Library Branch.

A full list of partners as of May 20, 2021 is available here. Join one of the online events today:

• At 10 am PST | 1 pm EST, Headspace will host a live global meditation here on TikTok.
• At 1 pm EST, VS PINK and The Jed Foundation will host ‘Make Your Move Fest’ to encourage young adults to take action to support their mental health, including a fireside chat with high-profile Gen-Z artists and advocates speaking about emotional health challenges and opportunities and how they are coping and supporting each other.
• At 4 pm PST | 7 pm EST, The Mental Health Coalition will host mental health advocates Jeremy Fall and Yung Pueblo who will talk about finding the path to your superpower and share their own mental health journeys. The chat will be moderated by Keo Motsepe and Dr. Luana Marques President, Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) will join to share her professional mental health wisdom. Tune in and follow @mentalhealthcoalition to watch this special 121 Series. 
• ALL DAY: Sound Mind Live, in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will host the 2021 Sound Mind Mental Health Music Festival at the Ventura County Fairgrounds featuring All Time Low, Fitz & The Tantrums, Lovelytheband and more.
• ALL DAY: The Atlantic is holding a free, day-long event, In Pursuit of Happiness, to explore the human hold on happiness and ways to build a more meaningful life. The event features Arthur C. Brooks, Deepak Chopra, Angela Duckworth, spiritual leader T.D. Jakes, and a performance by the global company of Dear Evan Hanse

###

About Mental Health Action Day

Mental Health Action Day is an open-source movement of brands, organizations, government agencies, and cultural leaders to drive culture from mental health awareness to mental health action. The first Mental Health Action Day will take place on May 20, 2021 with a mission to encourage and empower people to take their first actions on mental health — whether for themselves, for their loved ones or for their communities, because mental health is health. Learn more at MentalHealthIsHealth.us