SDHC Acknowledges May as Mental Health Awareness Month
Every year dating back to 1949, the month of May has been recognized as National Mental Health Awareness Month across the U.S. The organization known today as Mental Health America (MHA) – which founded the commemorative month – was originally founded by a Yale graduate named Clifford W. Beers, who himself struggled with mental health issues, as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene in 1909. The name of the organization has since changed – from that original Committee to the National Mental Health Association to their current designation as Mental Health America – but the overall focus of the goals of the organization have remained the same: the promotion of mental health, well-being, and illness prevention. The commemoration of May as National Mental Health Awareness Month in 1949 has continued to work toward the achievement of those goals, across the nation and within our own state.
According to MHA’s State of Mental Health 2025 report, the prevalence of mental health concerns among adults in the U.S. has not changed significantly in the period between 2021 and 2024: 23.4% of US adults experienced mental illness, 17.7% experienced substance use disorders, and 5.5% of adults experienced suicidal ideation across the nation. And while youth rates for these same factors across the nation have actually improved, they are still struggling, and access to care across the population is still a major issue.
South Dakota’s statistics have an important story to tell. While our state ranks 28th in the nation for adult mental illness, and 27th in the nation for substance use disorders, we rank 43rd in adult levels of suicidal ideation. The youth picture is even more astonishing. Overall, South Dakota ranks as number 3 in the nation for lower levels of mental illness among our younger population, and number 6 for lower levels of substance use disorder. However, when ranked for youth with suicidal ideation, South Dakota ranks at number 50. These statistics indicate that there is much work to be done in combating the issue of mental health in South Dakota…and SDHC acknowledges those who work to combat that issue every day.
The theme for the May 2026 commemoration of National Mental Health Awareness Month is “More Good Days, Together.” The theme aims to focus on community connection, combating stigma, and providing practical tools for wellness. Part of this effort involves community involvement and the role of the community in building strong social connections, improving access to information and resources, combating stigma, and creating safe, supportive spaces with culturally relevant programs and conversations. A part of SDHC’s mission is to “promote civil conversation.” As such, we join with those working to improve the lives and mental health of all of South Dakota’s residents, honoring and celebrating all that makes us South Dakota, and creating “more good days, together.”
To read more about MHA’s 2025 report, visit https://mhanational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/State-of-Mental-Health-2025.pdf. For information on how you and your community can develop a framework to spread awareness about the importance of mental health, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a toolkit available; it can be found at https://www.samhsa.gov/about/digital-toolkits/mental-health-awareness-month.