Rachel Oeters didn’t know what she would be getting into when she said she’d go to a resource fair with her friend Casey Shea on a Friday afternoon, but she’s glad she said yes. 

“I don’t really get out much. A lot of it is because I have pretty severe depression and this is my best friend and she was like ‘What are you doing tomorrow? You got to come out if you’re able to,’” explained Oeters about how she ended up at the Guilford County Mental Health Rocks! Resource Festival and Block Party. “Of all the times for me to leave the house, this would be a good one. Just to see what’s here.”

Guilford County hosted its third annual Mental Health Rocks! Resource Festival and Block Party on the afternoon of Friday, May 17 outside of the Guilford County Behavioral Health Center, located at 931 Third St. in Greensboro. The event, with almost 50 vendors, was designed to support mental health, increase awareness in the community about local resources that support mental well-being, and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and substance misuse.

“With this family-friendly festival, our goal is to create a safe space for residents and health providers to come together, collaborate, and encourage others to speak openly about mental health, not only this month but all year long,” said Debra Mack, Guilford County Behavioral Health Director. “It’s an opportunity for the community to see what kind of services that Guilford County has to offer. To see what’s out there and it’s also an opportunity for vendors to network with each other, put some names with some faces. Bringing that awareness to mental health and the fact that it’s okay to not be okay. We are saying that you have these people out here in your community who care about you and who are providing these services to help you along in your journey. We are helping people remove barriers to help people receive services.”

Resources that Shea has been in need of for some time now. She has been looking for support groups to help deal with her diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder and Psychosis.

“I thought it would be fun to come to see what’s out here. I was looking to see if they had any groups here for DID or Psychosis cause I haven’t found any,” she said, glancing over the tables. “It is still great because I get to know about other services.”

Miranda Johnson was a vendor at the event representing the Mental Health Associates of the Triad. She said that it was important for the organization to attend the event because of the topic and to get the word out about destigmatizing the need for mental health. 

More than one in five adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness and over one in five adolescents, aged 13 to 18, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness, according to national reports. Despite the availability of treatment, a significant number of people avoid seeking help due to the stigma associated with mental illness and substance abuse.

“It’s Mental Health Awareness month and being that we are focused on mental health, the networking piece is important. We really want to help the community and make sure that they get those services,” Johnson said. “For example, on May 29, we will have a lunch and learn about destigmatizing mental health. That is something that is really imperative to make sure our community and marginalized communities of various groups realize the need for mental health services.”

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month during its May 16 board meeting, pledging to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health and substance misuse.

​​“Guilford County and the Board of Commissioners are dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health and substance use disorder and misuse throughout Mental Health Awareness Month and throughout the entire year,” said District 2 Commissioner Alan Perdue who currently serves as the Chair of the Behavioral Health Oversight Committee, in a media release. “I encourage everyone to learn about the county’s local mental health resources. Through programs like the Behavioral Health Center, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and community partnerships such as GCSTOP [Guilford County Solution to the Opioid Problem], we can continue to normalize access to care and save lives.”

The county will also relaunch its Mental Health Resources webpage which will include information on mental and behavioral health resources offered by the county and other agencies. The county will also distribute an updated mental health resources pocket guide.

The City of Greensboro’s Office of Community Safety Behavioral Health Response Team was also in attendance at Friday’s Resource Festival and is gearing up to answer questions from the community about what it does.

The Paint the Town Green awareness event will be observed on May 29. Residents are asked to wear green in recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month. Those interested can also schedule a BHRT member to come to their place of business, residence, or anywhere within Greensboro city limits on May 29 to share the team’s purpose, goals, and processes. Interested parties can text 336-430-4121 by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 23, to schedule a visit.

BHRT consists of Greensboro Police Department officers, licensed clinicians, and crisis counselors. The group diverts certain people away from the criminal justice system and toward treatment, whenever appropriate and available. To learn more about BHRT, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/BHRT and OCS at www.greensboro-nc.gov/OCS.

Mack agrees with Johnson about the importance of spreading awareness. 

“This is the county’s opportunity to bring that awareness. The center is really supposed to be that lighthouse. You come here so that we can help you get to where you need to be. It was built on the concept of no wrong door. There’s no wrong door here, the goal is for you to walk in and get through the right door,” she said.

The center she speaks of is the Guilford County Behavioral Health Center. It provides urgent care, facility-based care, and outpatient services to children as young as four and adults. In 2023, the Behavioral Health Center served more than 1,100 youth; the Behavioral Health Urgent Care had more than 10,300 visits, and the adult Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic encountered more than 9,800 visits. Those in need can contact the Behavioral Health Center at 336-890-2700, with no appointment needed.

“The main thing is to destigmatize mental health and to let others know that it is okay to ask for help and seek out services,” Mack said. “A lot of these services people never even knew were in our community. This boils down to awareness, collaboration, and providing an opportunity to serve the community.”