Happy Latinx Heritage Month from everyone at Nicasa Behavioral Health Services!
Our largest care population across all services is Latinx individuals and families. We recognize how large of a milestone this is not only for us as a service provider, but for our community. SAMSHA reported in 2021, approximately 22% of Latinx Americans reported having concerns with their mental health. Together we work together to show we can put an end to stigma through bilingual and bicultural counselors, encouraging our bilingual peers to engage in community outreach events, offering resource documents in Spanish, and removing barriers that have historically prevented these individuals from receiving care. Celebrations of heritage are important because they highlight the beauty in our differences, the strength these identities hold, and how much better of a world we have today because of them.
Nicasa works diligently to provide culturally competent behavioral health and social services so we can meet the growing needs of everyone who calls Lake County home. We’d like to show our appreciation for our bilingual and bicultural team members that encourage individuals in our care, provide community outreach, and help us realize our mission of being a premier mental health and substance provider. Wauconda’s Annual Latin Heritage Festival on September 14th, 2024 was the perfect event to kick off Latinx Heritage Month!
October is Depression Screening & Awareness Month
Depression is a mental health condition that is the most treatable, but is one of the most heavily overlooked and stigmatized conditions. Often individuals will minimize or mask their symptoms away from their loved ones until they become overwhelming, or too much to bare away. Depression, if left untreated, can cause additional mental stress, physical illness to your body, and suicide.
Nicasa Behavioral Health Services encourages everyone to speak up about mental illness. Talk to your family and friends about depression and other mental health concerns. Below is a flyer that describes some of the symptoms of depression, and how to be a better mental health ally to those in need.
If you, or a loved one, is interested in participating in National Depression Screening & Awareness Month, visit https://screening.mhanational.org. These screens are available 24/7/36 and are free, quick, and confidential. Discreetly email the results to your inbox, so that you can reference them when you speak with a mental health service provider.
Substance Use Prevention Month & Red Ribbon Week
Our Prevention Team is getting prepared for Red Ribbon Week! They will have activities and events planned from October 23rd to October 31st to raise awareness about the importance of living drug free. In conjunction with our partnering community coalitions, Choose Your Path and their Youth Advisory Board in Wauconda and the Mundelein STAND-Up Task Force in Mundelein, we will be hosting a Wear Red Day on Wednesday October, 30th.
Share on social media or email development@nicasa.org photos of you, your family and friends, and colleagues wearing red in support of Red Ribbon Week. You can also share stories about how substance use prevention has impacted you, why it’s important, ways to support yourself through healthy choices, and how you helped support others to live drug free.
Nicasa Behavioral Health Services is committed to improving the lives of the individuals we serve, and finding new ways to be the premier behavioral health provider our community deserves.
Nicasa offers mental health and substance use services for all of Lake County and to anyone who needs help. Our clinical team provides evidence-based services to those seeking treatment. Nicasa offers a variety of services from group therapy, individual sessions, peer support services, residential recovery halfway housing, youth services, problem gambling counseling, and more to meet our community’s challenges head on.