2024 Mental Health Awareness Month
Welcome to Dakota County's Mental Health Month 2024 celebration. Throughout May, we're joining the nationwide effort to raise awareness and promote mental well-being. Explore our resources, events and initiatives as we come together to prioritize mental health in our community.
Stigma reduction
Reducing the stigma around mental health and illness is a key goal in creating safe and healthy communities. The three organizations below work to do this and have resources on their websites.
Show support with free green lights
Green is the color for Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, consider swapping out your standard lights for green ones. You can do this for one day or all month long.
Dakota County Public Health is distributing free green light bulbs to raise awareness for mental health. The green light bulbs symbolize our commitment to shining a light on mental health and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness. We want to encourage everyone to use the green light bulbs to light up their entryways during the month of May to show support for Mental Health Month.
You can find these green light bulbs in the following public locations while supplies last:
Trainings and events
Local and national organizations are hosting trainings and events supporting mental health awareness.
Crisis and warmlines
Below are local, state and national crisis and warmlines:
- Dakota County Crisis Response Unit: This unit provides 24/7 phone and face-to-face crisis intervention and consultation. Call 952-891-7171.
- Crisis Text Line: This line provides 24/7 emergency service for anyone experiencing psychiatric or mental health crisis. Text “MN" to 741741.
- 988 Lifeline: This lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones and best practices for professionals in the U.S. Call or text “988" or visit the 988 Lifeline website.
- Wellness in the Woods: This line is a safe and free way for individuals to receive confidential and anonymous one on one peer support from trained peers, certified peer support specialists and recovery coaches. To learn more, visit the Wellness in the Woods website.
- East Metro Crisis Alliance: This alliance is for if you or a loved one are struggling with mental health or substance use. Call 651-288-0400. You can also text “support" to 85511 or chat using the East Metro Alliance website.
Additional resources
Dakota County created a poster promoting the Dakota County Crisis Response Unit support line and the 988 lifeline. Posters are available in English, Spanish andSomali. If you'd like printed posters, please email public.health@co.dakota.mn.us
Local and national organizations have additional mental health resources. Below is a list of organizations and resources.