Executive Director's May 2024 Message

One of the five key strategic goals for the Health Service System is supporting the mental health and well-being of our members. Mental health affects our overall health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we are grateful to all the directors who helped us spread the message in our Mental Health Awareness Month video. I hope you watch it and understand that you are not alone.

Our mental health is not static. Sometimes we have good days, and sometimes we have tough days. It’s important to care for our mental health every day, because daily care helps make the tough days more manageable by building resiliency. I like to take daily walks or go for a swim at the YMCA to help me clear my mind, and I practice meditation. It just helps me start my day off right. Some people love to garden because working with the earth is therapeutic. Others love to read or watch a movie for escapism. Whether you love to dance or play the guitar, it’s important to find what works for you.

When the tough days come around, and it comes around for everyone, know you are not alone. Help is a phone call away. Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available 24/7 at (628) 652-4600. If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed and don’t know who to call and where to go for help, EAP for active employees or your health plan mental health benefits for retirees is a great place to start. Don’t wait to get help.

I also like to take time this month to check in on loved ones that I haven’t seen or spoken to in a while. It’s a great time to make plans to get together with friends. You never know when a friend might need someone to listen to them. You could be the one who’s there for them.

Be well,

Abbie Yant, RN, MA