Common Ground raises awareness about mental illness amidst COVID-19

Raising awareness about mental illness is even more important as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a growing national mental health crisis.

According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, neatly eight in 10 adults say the pandemic is a significant source of stress in their lives, and about one in five say their mental health is worse than it was prior to the pandemic.

At Common Ground’s annual Legacy of Hope Breakfast Fundraiser, attendees will hear from experts about the increased need for mental health crisis services and learn about the expansion of Common Ground’s services. The program will include remarks from Dr. Ken Minkoff, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Dr. William Beecroft, behavioral health medical director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

This year, Common Ground is celebrating 50 years of providing resources such as a 24-hour Crisis Helpline, safe shelters, residential treatment programs, counseling and specialized support groups to Oakland County residents.

Paul Loffreda, market president of Blue Cross Complete of Michigan, said of Common Ground, “Your programs are a lifeline for individuals and families in need of real-time assistance and also ongoing support and connection to programs that instill resilience, self-esteem, hope and courage.”

The free event will be held virtually from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 20. To register, visit bit.ly/legacyofhope2021. A recording of the event will be available afterward at commongroundhelps.org.

For those who are struggling and are in need of help, call or text Common Ground’s helpline at 1-800231-1127.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMON GROUND Melissa Bowman, Common Ground’s suicide prevention and volunteer recruitment coordinator; Riley Juntti, suicide prevention advocate and public speaker; Heather Rae, CEO and president of Common Ground; and Doug Wright, immediate past board chair, attended the final in-person Legacy of Hope Breakfast Fundraiser before the pandemic required them to go virtual.