05/14/2025
Mental Health Awareness Month—a time for reflection, awareness, and collective responsibility around mental wellbeing.
Mental health impacts every aspect of our lives—how we work, connect, cope, and contribute. Nationally, one in five adults experiences a mental health condition each year. These aren’t just statistics; they represent our friends, our family members, our coworkers, and ourselves. Mental wellness is foundational to a healthy and thriving community.
Today, I especially want to acknowledge the extraordinary work and resilience of our Calaveras County Behavioral Health staff. These are individuals who show up every day in service to others—often in some of the most difficult, emotionally demanding circumstances imaginable.
They are clinicians, case managers, peer specialists, admin support, wellness center, substance counselors and crisis responders. And behind the professional expertise and compassion, they are human—navigating not only the intensity of the work but also the emotional weight it carries.
Our staff often experience secondary trauma—absorbing the stress, grief, and hardship of those they serve. Many have endured the loss of clients, and with each loss comes a ripple effect—emotionally, personally, and professionally. These impacts are compounded by staff burnout, which continues to be a growing concern in behavioral health fields across the nation.
In addition, our teams have had to adapt to frequent and sometimes abrupt changes in mandates, funding requirements, and regulatory expectations. The landscape is ever-changing, and our staff continue to respond with grace, professionalism, and resolve—often without pause, and often without recognition.
So today, we pause. We say thank you. We recognize not just the value of their work, but the toll it can take, and the strength it requires.
On a related note, I want to share something I learned during a 2024 county benefits meeting: the number one medical diagnosis among Calaveras County employees last year was depression.
This is a sobering but important insight. It reminds us that mental health challenges are not just present in the populations we serve—they are present among our own teams, in our departments, and throughout the county workforce. Depression and other mental health conditions impact attendance, performance, relationships, and overall wellbeing.
And yet, stigma remains. Many people still suffer silently—worried about judgment, misunderstanding, or professional consequences. That’s why initiatives like Mental Health Awareness Month are so important.
As a county, we’ve taken meaningful steps—through our Employee Assistance Program, wellness initiatives, and department-level efforts—but there’s more to be done. We need to continue fostering a culture where mental health is prioritized, supported, and openly discussed—without shame, and without fear.
As we honor Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s recommit ourselves to supporting not only the clients we serve, but also the professionals doing the serving.
Let’s listen, advocate, and invest in long-term strategies that make mental wellness a part of our everyday operations—because our people are our greatest asset.
I’ll close with a quote that captures the essence of this work:
“Psychology is not just the study of weakness and damage; it is also the study of strength and virtue. Treatment is not just fixing what is broken; it is nurturing what is best within us.” – Martin Seligman
Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your continued commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of Calaveras County—both in the community and within our own workforce.
