Proclaim May 2024 to be Mental Health Awareness Month
Whereas, the City of Portland takes pride in joining Americans throughout the country in recognizing May 2024 as Mental Health Awareness Month; and
Whereas, the City of Portland affirms that Mental Health Awareness Month promotes mindfulness of the importance of tending to our mental health as it is essential and acknowledges that those living with mental health disabilities are deserving of care, understanding, compassion, and pathways to hope, healing, recovery, fulfillment, and inclusivity; and
Whereas, the City of Portland acknowledges the continuing need to dismantle systems of oppression for members of our workforce and communities that experience discrimination or barriers for accessing mental health services; and
Whereas, the City of Portland commits to establishing an ongoing dialogue with advocates, community organizations, and government entities with the intention of taking collective action toward supporting a healthy society; and
Whereas, the City of Portland supports mental health awareness as opportunity to inspire and embolden meaningful action within our organization to reinforce the health and safety of the greater Portland community; and
Whereas, speaking openly about mental health can reduce the misconceptions and stigma, and can encourage those who are suffering to seek help and find a support network; and
Whereas, the City provides an inclusive and equitable work environment, ultimately playing an integral role in fostering a psychologically healthy workplace and supporting the mental well-being of employees. Recognizing that experiences of interpersonal and organizational inequity and discrimination are highly connected to stress and a decline in mental wellness; and
Whereas, promoting a psychologically healthy culture is a priority through training and building leaders skill sets that support mental health and positive relationships and equipping workers to manage daily stress and handle the inevitable challenges that affect their mental wellbeing; and
Whereas, increased awareness, increased understanding, support, tools, resources, and capacity building help to build a healthy foundation from which the City workforce can build upon to strengthen our selves, build resilience, and collectively cope and heal from past adversity and be better equipped to manage future adversities; and
Whereas, the City of Portland affirms that centering the mental health and wellbeing of its employees is essential to acknowledging the human experience and the impacts that life has on each of us. Understanding the complexity of the human experience creates unique circumstances that require intentionality, proactivity, responsiveness, and inclusion; and
Whereas, we recognize the importance of providing employees with a voice to be able to identify their needs and express how they would like to be supported. Creating space to foster a sense of well-being that is felt through promoting feelings of being a part of an environment that recognizes and values employees. Contributing to breaking down barriers and enabling employees access to various learning and development opportunities focused on collective healing and holistic wellbeing from varying perspectives; to ensure inclusion and a person-centered approach to elevating mental wellness; and
Whereas, the City of Portland City supports mental health awareness as an important social movement to help people with mental health disabilities understand that they are not alone in their experience. Raising mental health awareness can help create understanding, create access to resources, promote awareness, and break the mental health stigma that leaves so many people suffering in secret through normalizing conversations about mental health.
Now, therefore, I, Ted Wheeler, Mayor of the City of Portland, Oregon, the “City of Roses,” do hereby proclaim May 2024, to be
Mental Health Awareness Month
In Portland and encourage all Portlanders to observe this month.