Educating students about mental health at Honolulu Community College

Honolulu CC will host annual health & wellness fair and first-ever wellness walk

Honolulu Community College
Contact:
Billie K T Lueder, (808) 845-9187
Communications and External Affairs, Honolulu Community College
Posted: Sep 17, 2012

Auto Body students attending last year's fair.
Auto Body students attending last year's fair.
Life size Take Charge displays will be posted around campus.
Life size Take Charge displays will be posted around campus.
Honolulu Community College will hold its 5th Annual Health & Wellness Provider Fair and its first ever Wellness Walk around the campus, in an effort to educate the campus community and the public about personal mental heath and wellbeing.
 
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Noon - Wellness Walk
Honolulu Community College Cafeteria (874 Dillingham Blvd.)
 
Over 40 service providers and community organizations will offer information and displays on various topics that affect an individual’s wellbeing, such as, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, mental illness, suicide, addiction, anxiety, and schizophrenia at the fair.
 
“The annual Health & Wellness Provider Fair provides a wonderful opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to get connected, gain a better understanding of mental illness and become familiar with services and resources on our campus and in our community. All participants are able to talk with community agencies one on one and participate in various activities in an effort to learn more about mental /health/wellness services that support mental health and wellness for all,” shares Honolulu CC Mental Health Counselor Kimberley Gallant.
 
Throughout the week of the fair life size displays will be placed around the campus (made by carpentry technology students and painted by auto body students) of the “Take Charge Challenge.” The visual displays will challenge the campus community to think about how they would respond and help someone who maybe struggling with thoughts of suicide, addiction, schizophrenia, anxiety, and PTSD. The goal is to raise awareness about college mental health and engage the campus community in a dialogue and action plan to better assist and support individuals in need.
 
Mental health concerns are at the forefront of higher education institutions across the nation due in large part to the increased incidents of violence that has occurred on campuses across the United States. Virginia Tech, MIT, Harvard, the University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Honolulu Community College have all experienced incidences of campus violence that have affected one or more individuals and families. Reports from these institutions and others find that often these incidences can be linked in part to some form of mental illness.
 
  • Nearly half of all college students report feeling so depressed at some point they have trouble functioning. 44 percent of American college students reported feeling symptoms of depression. (Healthyminds.org)
  • One in four adults will experience an episode of depression by the age of 24. (Friends Hospital, the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychiatric Association)
  • 75 percent experience their first episode of anxiety before age 22. (National Institute of Mental Health - NIMH)
  • 75 percent of people develop schizophrenia between the ages of 15-25. Approximately 10% of people with schizophrenia (especially younger adult males) commit suicide. (Friends Hospital, the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychiatric Association)
  • Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death of college students ages 20-24. (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Surgeon Generals Report on Mental Health)
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can occur at any age including childhood. (Friends Hospital, the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychiatric Association)
As an added benefit at the fair, the Honolulu Community College Health Office will be administering free flu shots to those 18 and older with a valid medical insurance card.
 
List of Providers:
  • Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Aloha United Way
  • American Lung Association
  • Catholic Charities HI-HI IMPACT & CNL SVS
  • Community Alliance for Mental Health (CFY-Alliance)
  • Community Children's Council
  • Counseling and Student Development Center at UH Manoa
  • Drug Free Hawaii
  • Domestic Violence Action Center and The Teen Alert Program
  • Family Advocacy Prgm(Army-The Catalyst Group LLC)
  • Family Peace Center
  • Family Programs Hawai'i
  • Hale Kipa-YO
  • Harm Reduction Hawaii
  • Hawaii Community Foundation Assets
  • Hawaii Meth Project
  • HCAP-Head Start
  • Hepatitis Support Network
  • Hawaii Families as Allies
  • Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • Ho'ala Dental Program
  • Ho'oikaika Peer Mentoring Project at UH Manoa
  • It Takes an Ohana
  • Kalihi-Palama Health Center
  • Ke Ola Mamo
  • Legal Aid Society
  • Life Foundation
  • Mental Health America Hawaii
  • Nami HI
  • Parent Line/Home Reach Prgm/CFS
  • Planned Parenthood Hawaii
  • Queens-Women's Health
  • Senior Medical Patrol
  • State Capital
  • State of Hawaii Office of Elections
  • Susannah Wesley Community Center
  • The Institute for Family Enrichment (TIFFE)
  • The Makaha Clubhouse
  • United Self Help
  • VA-Honolulu Center
  • VA-Military Sexual Trauma Team
  • Waikiki Health Center
  • Waimanalo Health Center
  • Hawaii Equine Assisted Reflections and Therapy