Mental health awareness green and jean day resource fair | va atlanta health care | veterans affairs

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA turned into a sea of green in support of the Green and Jean Day Mental Health Awareness Resource Fair held on

Friday, May 31, 2024. Veterans and employees enjoyed entertainment provided by a DJ as well as treats from resource vendors throughout the informational fair.  May is Mental Health Awareness

Month and Green is the designated color.  Green represents hope, strength, support, and encouragement.  Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States since 1949. 

Every year during the month of May, the VA joins the national movement to raise awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being.  Together, we can

fight stigma and provide support, educate, the public and advocate for policies that support the millions for people in the United States affected by mental illness. “When facing a mental

health challenge or living with a mental illness, it’s common to feel like no one understands what you’re going through. You are not alone, help is available, and recovery is possible.  A

person diagnosed with a Mental Illness may not always look like what you assume, so let’s continue to educate ourselves and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness," said Kajuana

Pitts, LCSW, Local Recovery Coordinator and organizer for the event for the past 4 years. The Atlanta VA Mental Health Department collaborated with internal and external partners - PACT ACT,

St. Vincent de Paul, Suicide Prevention, Caregiver Support, Claratel Behavioral Health (formerly Dekalb Community Service Board) and others to make this year’s fair a success. Participants

who wore their Green and Jeans joined for a group photo to show their support for the event. “It’s important to remember that working out our mind is just as important as working out our

body because when we are mentally well, we are better able to cope with difficult times in our personal and or professional lives, " added Pitts.