First National ‘Mental Health Action Day’ Aims to Drive People to Take a First Step on Mental Health

For Immediate Release

April 13, 2021

First National ‘Mental Health Action Day’ Aims to Drive People to Take a First Step on Mental Health 

One year into COVID-19 and amidst a most dire mental health crisis, FourBlock and nearly 200 organizations team up to plan inaugural ‘Mental Health Action Day’ on May 20 

Learn more at www.MentalHealthActionDay.org  

(NEW YORK CITY)– FourBlock in partnership with nearly 200 leading brands, nonprofits and cultural leaders today announced the first-ever Mental Health Action Day, to be held on Thursday, May 20 during Mental Health Awareness Month.  

Over the past two decades, suicide rates have risen, particularly among young adults. And the COVID pandemic has accelerated the already dire crisis, giving way to what many mental health professionals have called the “second pandemic.”  

Though more people than ever are comfortable discussing mental health, finding effective resources and knowing how to get help remains a challenge.  Mental Health Action Day is an open-source movement of brands, organizations and cultural leaders to drive culture from mental health awareness to mental health action.   

Partners will encourage people to take their first steps towards mental health action — whether for themselves, for their loved ones or to advocate for systemic changes. Resources and tools will be available for people to seek help in a myriad of ways from starting a meditation practice, learning how to support a friend, or advocating for change. 

Partners To Date:  

“From Covid-19 to economic struggles and the continuing fight for racial justice, the other half of the twin pandemic is the rise of our mental health challenges,” said Erika Soto Lamb, Vice President of Social Impact Strategy at MTV Entertainment Group. “This is a critical moment to shift our culture from mental health awareness to mental health action and MTV is proud to come together with diverse cross-sector leaders on this inaugural day to encourage and empower people to take action — for themselves, for their loved ones or for the systemic changes needed to improve our social and emotional wellbeing.”]

Mental Health Action Day is being planned in partnership with TaskForce, a cultural organizing agency that builds capacity for those taking on the most pressing challenges facing our communities, our nation and our world.

Additional participants and more information about how each partner will activate on May 20 will be forthcoming. More on Mental Health Action Day and initial partners can be found at www.MentalHealthActionDay.org   

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About Mental Health Action Day

Mental Health Action Day is an open-source movement of brands, organizations and cultural leaders to drive culture from mental health awareness to mental health action. The first Mental Health Action Day will take place on May 20, 2021 with a mission to encourage and empower people to take their first steps towards mental health action — whether for themselves, for their loved ones or to advocate for systemic changes, because mental health is health. Learn more at www.MentalHealthActionDay.org  

About FourBlock 

FourBlock is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting returning service members in their transition from military service to meaningful civilian careers. Now in its 10th year, FourBlock’s flagship Veteran Career Readiness Program is taught by corporate executives in major cities across the U.S. and now serves more than 600 transitioning veterans annually. To learn more about how FourBlock is helping veterans transition better and building a nationwide community of veteran professionals, visit fourblock.org or contact info@fourblock.org.