On Sept. 21, 2006, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi launched the county's first Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Campaign, a two-pronged public education initiative that aims to eradicate the shame and stigma surrounding mental illnesses while increasing public awareness of local community services.

According to Suozzi's announcement, this landmark anti-stigma campaign is directed towards raising the general public's consciousness about the facts on mental health, and to ensure that people who need services will reach out for help without feeling stigmatized. The county executive also points out that one in five people experience some sort of mental illness during their lives - yet less than half seek and receive help.

An anti-stigma campaign coordinated with our local mental health organizations, geared towards educating the public about the misconceptions and facts of mental illness and the availability of community resources is a step in the right direction. Providing the public with information about the various types of mental illnesses and helping people in need to access services is the right thing for government to do. But does the average Nassau County resident care about the mentally ill?

It's been more than 40 years since the passage of President Kennedy's Comprehensive Community Mental Health Act, in which government sought to address the needs of people with mental disabilities in our communities by developing community-based services and defining certain patient rights relative to treatment and independence. Yet today the mentally ill still fall victim to NIMBYism (the "not in my backyard" mentality) when it comes to establishing housing and residential programs in our communities. We still see people with mental illness being unfairly portrayed and stereotyped in the media. And, regrettably the public still doesn't understand who people with mental illnesses are!

It's true that one in five people in our country experience some sort of mental illness. Anyone who's lost a loved one has suffered from anxiety and depression. Any child who's been victimized, assaulted or abused has suffered from emotional disorders. Twenty percent of our soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorders. All of the victims and families of 9-11 have suffered emotional trauma and most have sought professional mental health treatment. Today, our local community mental health centers in Nassau County are seeing dramatic increases in the number of children, adolescents and the aged requiring treatment including therapy and medication management. The demographics of our communities are changing. In each of our neighborhoods there are people in need; those affected by unemployment, violent crimes, family dysfunction, substance abuse, and other factors that contribute to mental illness. In other words people with mental illness are our neighbors, whether we know it or not, and whether we accept it or not.

Within days of launching the campaign, Nassau County's Mental Health Helpline at 504-HELP received a substantial increase in calls. People need help with mental health issues, and we're fortunate to have a wonderful network of programs and services available to help most everyone. So, will a few thousand posters, newspaper ads, radio spots, and brochures make a difference to the average Nassau County resident? I sure hope it does. Will the campaign truly help destigmatize mental illness and begin to see our communities accept and better understand 20 percent of our neighbors, friends and loved ones? It all depends on our willingness to listen. For more information on services available in your community, call the Counseling Center at 822-6111.