Our October 29th speakers were Paul Daniel and DGE Norlan Hinke concerning the new Rotary Action Group for Mental Health (RAGHMI) started in 2023.
The new RAG for Mental Health Initiative is working on raising awareness on mental health issues and community engagement around mental health issues. It is also working on encouraging individual Rotary clubs to also engage with the mental health agencies and non-profits within their own service areas. DGE Norlan wants to challenge all clubs within this next year to offer at least one program or initiative on mental health.
Paul introduced the main speaker, Paul Daniel, who is a Rotarian from Marshalltown and a mental health professional in that area. Daniel handles 6000 patients per year and has noted how mental health issues are on the rise with both adults and children. About 30% of adults and 40% of kids in the US struggle with mental health issues, but only about 10% ever get and help. He said that this formula is true: The way you think + the way you feel = the way you act. Mental health impacts and is impacted by so many other aspects of our lives-- our self-esteem, how successful our efforts are at work and school, whether or not we become homeless, our physical health, our family and social interactions, and on and on.
The new RAG will generate greater awareness of the issues and help to change the culture that is so prevalent of just wanting to bury mental health issues and not talk about them or seek help. When this RAG began there was just one other similar Rotary group in the world, a mental health collaboration in India. Now there are 10 such groups within Rotary around the world. If you are interested in joining RAGMHI, the cost is $25/year. Go to https://www.ragonmentalhealth.org/ for more information.
In follow up to the presentation Liz Loeb commented about local mental health collaborations and initiatives. NAMI of Johnson County provides a lot of support and education. She sited many other initiatives in this community, including the walk-in centers that are available so that those in mental health crisis can avoid long wait times for appointments or expensive treatment at hospital emergency rooms.