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the community with valuable resources to support their mental well-being.

“It is important to note that mental health affects people of all ages and demographics, and we wanted to ensure that our event was accessible to as many people as possible,” she said.

Success story McFarland and her team appreciate everyone who came out to support RUHS-BH’s ongoing efforts to promote mental health awareness in the community. Helping others understand mental health issues and the importance of seeking help is a goal they met in 2022 with Daniel Smith, who is currently living in Perris.

“I had lost my wife of 31 years and I wanted to go be with her, so I got reckless,” Smith, 61, said. His substance abuse led to him living in a car on the streets of Lake Elsinore and continuing to make poor choices. But on May 30, he will celebrate eight months of being clean and sober and he credits that to the caring efforts of RUHS-BH Peer Support Specialists Estevan Gonzalez and Trisha.

Smith admits that when they first reached out to him and some of his friends at a Circle K in Lake Elsinore, he took Trisha’s business card even though he didn’t intend to follow up with her. But about 45 days later, he found himself at his lowest point ever.

“I don’t know what it was, but I pulled the card out of my wallet and called to say, ‘I need help’ and thought they might say they’d make an appointment to meet with me in like a week or so but instead they said, ‘we’ll be over in an hour.’”

These members of the Lake Elsinore-SAPT & Mobile Crisis Management Team were able to secure housing for Smith and are helping him apply for Social Security and other programs he is eligible for at this time. Attending the fair because he likes to go to events and keep busy, Smith was shocked to run into the crisis team members that he credits with saving his life.

Resources McFarland said, “The main purpose of the Mental Health Awareness Fair was to spread awareness and to expand conversations around mental health to help reduce the stigma related to seeking help. We wanted to create a fun, open and entertaining setting where people felt comfortable and invited to participate.”

There were details about employment programs for youths, those with disabilities and others that were eager to share what they can offer. Jeri Ramirez and Angela Duarte with the State of California Department of Rehabilitation were representing the Temecula branch office, letting visitors know that DOR’s mission is to support individuals with physical or mental impairments in finding employment that can lead to independence and an improved quality of life. The organization also contracts with schools to provide work experience programs. For more information, 951-693-4451 or www.dor.ca.gov

Pathways to Success Vocational Program is a partnership with DOR and RUHS that assists clients in successfully re-entering the workforce and maintaining employment. The program helps clients obtain a job that meets their needs and abilities, not just any job. Peer Support Specialist Madison Dirkes said it offers skill building and confidence building workshops and individual classes to attend in whichever way the client feels most comfortable. For more information, 951940-6233 (Temecula office) or Pathwaysinfo@ruhealth.org

“Stigma reducing messaging around mental health is needed for a wide range of individuals,” McFarland said. “According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness in any given year. Additionally, half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, and 75% of them develop by age 24. This highlights the need for open and honest discussions about mental health, as well as the importance of reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.”

NAMI was one of the vendors at the event with Brenda Scott, Executive Director of the Mt. San Jacinto chapter, sharing details about the different programs offered. One visitor at her booth had attended last fall’s walk at Diamond Valley Lake and Scott was able to provide a flier about this year’s annual NAMIWalks Inland Empire on Nov. 5. For more information, 951-765-1850 or namiwalksinlandempire@ gmail.com RUHS offers Wellness and Recovery Clinics for Mature Adults, 60 years and older. Local clinics are in Lake Elsinore, San Jacinto and Temecula. For more information, www.rcdmh.org/

A legacy of excellence.

Mature-Adult-Services The Pets

Assisting in Recovery (P.A.I.R. Program) offers animal assisted therapy and activity and is seeking volunteers. Animal behaviorist Jacquelyn Eck said this was one of the first in-person events they have attended since COVID wreaked havoc on their therapy program. Eck can be reached at 951-3586229 or jeck@ruhealth.org

CAREspace (Community Access Relationships Emotional Wellness) and Lucky PAWS (Pets Are Wellness Support) can help those seeking their own dog for therapeutic purposes through its partnership with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. Under the auspices of the Riverside County Office of Education, Dr. Lexi Backstrom said the fairly new program offers free adoption services throughout the county. For more information, www.rcoe.us/carespace or 951276-care (2273).

The RUHS-BH Cultural Competency program was well represented with several booths to address the mental health needs of several demographics from deaf and hard of hearing to veterans and many different ethnic groups. Cultural Community Liaison Dakota Brown said the program hosts regular meetings that are open to the public. “We are not only trying to get people connected; we ask them to tell us what the county can do to be more accessible to them,” she said. For more information, www.rcdmh. org/ccp.

The CARES Line is a free resource line to be connected to mental health services, 800499-3008. HELPLine is a free confidential crisis/suicide intervention service available

24 hours a day, seven days a week, 951-686-HELP (4357). For those needing language assistance services, call 951-486-4320 (TTY: 711).

Take My Hand is a live peer chat service that provides an anonymous platform to allow callers to have a safe place to express their thoughts and struggles. For more information, visit TakeMyHand.co.

Lime green is the color of mental health awareness. Wear a lime green ribbon to show your support and start conversations about mental health. More on California’s Mental Health Movement can be found at EachMindMatters.org.

On the horizon

The grand opening of the RUHS-BH Peer Support Service Center at 40925 County Center Dr., Suite 120 in Temecula will be held May 23 from noon to 3 p.m. Meet and greet “peers helping you navigate through life” and hear peer testimony, all while enjoying an Ice Cream Social. Peer support services are open to any community member wishing to explore their wellness through recovery groups, individual peer support and other activities in a structured environment. For more information, 951-600-6410.

“We are committed to promoting mental health awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, and the fair is an important part of that mission,” McFarland said. “We are grateful for the support of our partners in Menifee, who were excellent collaborators and leaders for our inaugural event. Moving forward, we will continue to explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration to create a successful and impactful event each year.”