By Michael P. Walsh
Special to the Voice
A united front of city leaders and first responders were joined by a group of mental health experts on the steps of City Hall to publicly mark Day 1 of Mental Health Awareness Month on May 1.
The kickoff event was led by Mayor Dorinda Borer and Health Director Maureen B. Lillis and featured an array of speakers from the region’s mental health agencies, including the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, Mental Health Connecticut, Bridges Healthcare, Shoreline Wellness Center & Behavioral Health Clinic, Fair Haven Community Health Care and the Bereavement Support Group of West Haven.
Borer and Lillis, both of whom wore green for the special month, delivered poignant remarks on the importance of mental health awareness, including a sobering statistic that suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States.
Lillis organized the half-hour event to shine a light on the public health crisis.
In front of dozens of mental health supporters, including city employees and fire chiefs, speakers shared stories of inspiration and words of encouragement, starting with Borer, who bravely revealed her struggle with mental health while growing up in West Haven.
“We’re here today because we want to bring awareness to the existence of mental health challenges, but we also want to let our residents know that we recognize it and that there’s help available,” said Borer, who was flanked by a contingent of city and mental health officials.
The mayor continued: “At a young age, I suffered from mental health challenges. My parents had substance abuse issues, and back then you didn’t talk to anybody about what you were facing internally — you hid it. Didn’t even tell my own friends. It was a struggle — anxiety, stress, embarrassment. It’s very lonely when you’re suffering and you don’t talk to somebody about it.
“I think I was becoming a little obviously fragile, and a friend came to me and said, ‘I think you need to talk to somebody.’ And I reluctantly went, and it was life-changing for me. It helped me navigate through a difficult time and is something that I tap into through all of my adult life.”
“So seeking help is something very important to your mental well-being,” Borer said. “I thank everybody who’s in this field that offers the services and who are trained to help people that are struggling.”
Lillis, who introduced each speaker, said mental health is “a topic that still gets placed on the backburner but is one that we cannot ignore.”
“Poor mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, are strongly linked to the onset of chronic physical conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes, just to name a few,” she said. “These chronic diseases can reduce life expectancy due to higher stress levels, disruptions in sleep and nutrition, increased risks from substance use disorders, and greater difficulties in securing medical care or social support.”
Lillis and public health nurse Stacie L. Walsh gave out green awareness ribbons to those attending the kickoff.
Green is the international color of mental health awareness, representing hope, strength, support and encouragement for people who live with mental illness.
To raise awareness in West Haven, green battery-operated candles will illuminate the windows and steps of City Hall in the nights ahead.
Chief Michael R. Terenzio of the City of West Haven Fire Department Allingtown, who has been in the fire service for more than four decades, talked about the “invisible injury,” known as post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Many of us suffer from PTSD, and it’s the firefighter culture that can be a friend and a foe,” Terenzio said. “No one wants to admit that they’re suffering from some kind of behavioral or emotional stress, and least of all is our firefighters. But we’re becoming more and more aware of it.
“On behalf of my fellow firefighters here in the city, believe me, PTSD is a real injury, and we have to be ready to seek out the help. And there’s a lot of help here that can be afforded to everyone here in the city. Don’t be afraid to admit it. I’ll admit it, you need help from time to time. Don’t hesitate getting it.”
Also speaking from the city were Karen Lafo, the assistant director of pupil services at the Board of Education, and Alyssa Maddern, the director of the Department of Elderly Services.
Representing his furry friends, Danny, the West Haven Fire Department’s station and therapy dog, stopped by to wag his tail in support of the cause with his handler, Capt. Jacob Urban, who acknowledged the department’s increase in mental health-related calls.
Representatives from the regional mental health agencies, many of whom also wore green, talked about their agencies and the services they offer, in addition to praising the city for raising awareness.
“Thank you for sharing your stories,” said Dr. Ece Tek, the chief medical officer of Mental Health and Addiction Services at Cornell Scott in New Haven. “The more we share the stories, the more we share the hope.”
“You have a community that really has created a great safety net,” said Luis B. Pérez, the president and CEO of Mental Health Connecticut in Farmington. “At Mental Health Connecticut, we understand the power of community.”
Jennifer Fiorillo, the president and CEO of Bridges in Milford, said, “We do everything we can to meet people where they are in their recovery.”
Eddy Cordova-Coello, an addiction medicine case manager at Fair Haven Community Health Care in New Haven, discussed mental health issues facing the Latino community, and Kim Kenny, the grants coordinator at Shoreline Wellness in West Haven, said, “Mental health is about all of us looking out for each other.”
Cate Saxton, the facilitator of the Bereavement Support Group, thanked Borer for “shining a little bit of light where there is usually darkness.”
The West Haven group, which supports those who have lost a partner, was co-founded by Teddi McKenna and Toni Jo Limosani and meets at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the Johnson Community Center, 201 Noble St.
Mental health includes people’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how people think, feel and act and helps determine how they handle stress, relate to others and make choices.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, 1 in 5 adults experience mental health illness each year, and only half of them receive treatment.
“Suicide is a major public health issue and can be recognized as a chronic epidemic,” Lillis said. “Despite the overwhelming numbers, the tragedy of suicide is hidden by stigma, myth and shame. And it is this stigma surrounding suicide that restricts prevention and intervention.”
According to statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds and the second-leading cause of death among 25- to 34-year-olds.
In 2022, more than 950,000 12- to 17-year-olds and 1.6 million adults attempted suicide, according to the CDC.
Lillis said there is a glimmer of hope, however.
Pointing to an easel displaying a large blue-and-white sign, “988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline,” on the steps of City Hall, she said: “I would like you to remember this lifesaving number: three digits that can save someone’s life. The 988 Lifeline helps thousands of people struggling to overcome suicidal crises or mental health-related distress every day.”
Launched by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2005, the 988 Lifeline is a national 24/7 hotline that provides caring, trained counselors for people who are experiencing mental health-related distress.
In observance of West Haven’s monthlong mental health awareness campaign, the Health Department is sponsoring a series of events, “which will encourage open dialogues, create a new culture of empathy and understanding, and emphasize the importance of normalizing the practice of self-care and taking moments each day to prioritize mental health without fear of embarrassment,” Lillis said.
Events include an aroma therapy activity for West Haven Senior Center members and a basketball clinic for at-risk middle school and high school students.
The aroma therapy activity was held May 9 at the senior center, 201 Noble St.
The basketball clinic, limited to 30 participants, is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. May 24 at Savin Rock Community School, 50 Park St., and will include the Police Department’s school resource officers.
Lillis said she plans to announce more events soon.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
To get support for mental health, drug and alcohol issues, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support.
To locate treatment facilities or providers, visit https://findtreatment.gov/ or call 800-662-HELP (4357).