KINGSTON, LUZERNE CO. (WOLF) — As Mental Health Awareness Month shines a light on mental health access, Peer Help United Network is offering resources and leading a community walk to expand support.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 59.3 million adults in the U.S. are living with mental illness, many of them closer to us than we realize, including within our own communities and personal circles.
Providing peer-based services to the community, Peer Help United Network offers encouragement, guidance, and support to individuals and families navigating difficult times. At the organization’s Kingston location, Executive Director Joe Kloss explained what sets Peer Help United apart.
“We are, in fact, Pennsylvania’s first family and peer-run organization. What that means is every one of our employees has shared life or lived experience. We offer those supportive services to individuals, to families, to help them navigate the complex systems. Especially when it comes to mental health services. But it does not exclude any of the other service systems,” said Kloss.
Peer Help United Network is leading the Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health Awareness Walk, bringing the community together with local organizations, services, and support resources.
“This is the first year we’re involved as one of the lead organizers for the walk. There was a whole bunch of us community care, behavioral health organizations that kind of came together and decided, ‘Hey, let’s pick up the pieces and put this walk on.’ It was always a great event to showcase mental health awareness, but also bring all of the community resources together for the community to learn about what’s out there available to them,” said Kloss.
Kloss also shared some of those working alongside Peer Help United for the community walk.
“Luzerne, Wyoming counties, Mental Health and Developmental Services, Northeast Counseling, Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health Hospital, Pyramid Healthcare, Wilkes University, Penn State, Lehman campus,” said Kloss.
As Mental Health Awareness Month drives important conversations, Kloss left us with a powerful message.
“1 in 4 adults have a mental health challenge. 1 in 5 children are actually diagnosed with a mental health disorder. And it’s prevalent whether it’s you, a loved one, family, friend, to be aware of it, to take care of yourself and again, to stay ahead of things. The earlier you intervene, the better your outcomes are going to be. The better your recovery will be,” said Kloss.
The Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health Awareness Walk is on Sunday, May 17, at Kirby Park.
For more details on the walk, click here.