(Metropolis, IL) The New Beginnings program at Massac Memorial Hospital celebrated Mental Health Awareness month in some unique ways. Program staff including Program Director, Kim Abell, posted flyers and banners throughout the hospital. They stuck with the color green as the theme of the month. Green is the international symbol for mental health awareness. Some of the activities that they used to promote mental health awareness were providing green stickers and ribbons to employees and patients. They also hosted a drawing for prizes. Participants had to submit a positive way that they can de-stress to have a chance to win a prize. They were provided with an informational sheet of 30+ ways to de-stress in less than 10 minutes.
The program also hosted an Ice Cream Day for their patients and the hospital. Program staff decorated the unit and allowed participants to create their own ice cream Sunday with multiple toppings. This was a great way to engage the patients in the program and promote awareness for mental health throughout the hospital and the community.
