Okay to Say Campaign
Reducing the stigma associated
with mental illness
Think.Change Initiative
No individual or family should be isolated when confronted with a behavioral health problem. Reducing the stigma often associated with mental illnesses is pivotal when addressing what needs to be done to improve services. The El Paso Behavioral Health Consortium has partnered with other community organizations in support of the “Okay to Say” campaign. The campaign creates a movement for talking openly about mental illness and helping people find the resources and treatment they need.
The Okay to Say campaign is a community-based movement initiated by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute with support from community partners to increase public awareness about mental health issues in Texas, dispel stigma, and break down cultural barriers surrounding mental illness in Texas and beyond.
The campaign features hundreds of fellow Texans and celebrities (Emmitt Smith, Mark Cuban, Jose Altuve) on television and social media using their voices about it being “Okay to Say” “I’m bipolar… My spouse is battling depression … My child has a disorder … I’m ready to help … I support erasing the stigma of mental health.
The campaign initiates an open dialogue about mental health issues, challenges, and successes people encounter when they seek help for this treatable disease by visiting www.okaytosay.org or following Okay to Say social media platforms #okaytosay.
Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute for Texas is a nonpartisan, nonprofit working to change the condition of mental health in Texas.