Conversations in Your Community

Support the national dialogue by getting involved and building awareness of mental health problems in your community.

Find a Community Conversation

Community conversations $\"Site$ are taking place across the country, and give people a chance to learn more about mental health issues. People who participate in these conversations discuss issues related to the mental health of young people, and decide how they might take action to improve mental health in their families, schools, and communities. Find one in your area $\"Site$ .

Help Start a Conversation in Your Community

Use the following tools to start a conversation about mental health in your own community.

Toolkit for Community Conversations About Mental Health

The Toolkit for Community Conversations About Mental Health is designed to be a resource to help those interested in holding a conversation about mental health. It is comprised of three parts described below, that will help communities and groups plan and facilitate a dialogue about mental health.

Information Brief (PDF - 3.30 MB) | En Espa\u00f1ol (PDF - 4.30 MB) - Provides data and other facts about the promotion of mental health, prevention of mental illness, and how to promote awareness, early identification, access to treatment, crisis response, and recovery supports. The Information Brief helps educate and inform community conversation participants and facilitators about mental health issues.
Discussion Guide (PDF - 3.05 MB) | En Espa\u00f1ol (PDF - 2.79 MB) - Provides a resource to help guide participants and facilitators through a one-day community conversation. The discussion guide offers a framework for holding a successful and productive conversation. The discussion guide includes: \n
- Discussion questions
- Sample views about mental health
- Process suggestions
- Facilitator tips
- Individual and community follow-up steps
Planning Guide (PDF - 3.52 MB) | En Espa\u00f1ol (PDF - 3.03 MB) - Provides tools to help people hold a one-day community conversation. Includes information for planning conversations, recruiting and training facilitators, recruiting conversation participants, and identifying steps participants may want to take in order to raise awareness about mental health and promote access to mental health services.
\u201cMental Health in my Community\u201d Infographic (PDF - 10.2 MB) | En Espa\u00f1ol (PDF - 9.66 MB) - Read and share this helpful infographic. \n
- \"Mental Health in My Community\" Infographic Reference List (PDF - 87kB) | En Espa\u00f1ol (PDF - 103kB)

Find an Organization with Mental Health Expertise in Your Community

These organizations can help you organize a community event, locate speakers with mental health expertise, offer information on mental health services, or provide peer and family supports.

Continue the Conversation

Use the following social media tools and online resources to keep the conversations about mental health going in your community.

Follow @MentalHealthGov on Twitter and participate in the conversation using #MentalHealthMatters.
Like the MentalHealth.gov Facebook page

See highlights from local events, activities from partner organizations and the online conversation from the national dialogue on the MentalHealth.gov Storify page.

Learn More about Community Resources for Mental Health

Discuss children\u2019s mental health. This resource includes materials in Spanish.
Find state-level data on mental health and substance abuse.
Find national data on mental health such as the prevalence of specific mental health problems, trends in the use of mental health services, and the overall financial cost.
Find resources for mayors and other local officials. This guidance equips mayors and other public health officials with strategies to use in their role in shaping community responses that promote mental health recovery, and ensure necessary treatments and services are available.