Officials proclaim May Mental Health Awareness Month

May 9—There is no better way to battle darkness than by shining a light on it, and on Wednesday, many members of the mental healthcare field witnessed local leaders and judges shine a light on the silent battles that are fought by some every day.

Officials gathered at the Pulaski County Judicial Center to sign a proclamation declaring May Mental Health Awareness Month.

The proclamation was signed by County Judge-Executive Marshall Todd, Somerset Mayor Alan Keck, Chief Judge Marcus Vanover, Family Court Judge Jane Adams Venters, District Judge B.J. Hardy and Circuit Judge Eddy Montgomery.

Also on hand to oversee the signing of the proclamation was Nate Fisher, a licensed counselor and founder of Quest Counseling.

In talking about those who signed the proclamation, Fisher stated, "We all fight the same battle everyday, and we've been doing it for years."

Fisher said that he felted blessed to be a part of the Pulaski County community "because we're way in front of everybody whenever it comes to mental health."

He added that the community will continue to fight the fight, and "hopefully we'll keep moving forward and break down the stigma."

The proclamation declared that, "As elected community officials, we also call upon the citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses and schools in Somerset, Pulaski County to recommit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their mental health and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions."

"Everything is connected," said Pulaski County Judge-Executive Marshall Todd about the proclamation. "When I attended the grand opening of the Pulaski County Detention Center's Workforce and Re-Entry Center (held Tuesday evening), it wasn't lost on me that a good deal of the issues that put our inmates in jail can be traced back to trauma and various mental health issues. We need to acknowledge that and work better to identify those issues and make it easier for individuals suffering from mental illness to get the help they need."

Carla Slavey can be reached at cslavey@somerset-kentucky.com