Americans need to wake up and confront the problems surrounding mental illness in our country!
Why is this important?
The recent shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary has brought with it many different discussions including gun control and the state of mental health in our country. This petition is a request for action towards rethinking how mental health is dealt with. It needs to be more accessible by means of availability and more inexpensive options for care. There has always been a stigma towards individuals who suffer from a mental illness. We must address this negative thinking and begin better education as a means for creating awareness and a path away from the views that mental illness represents a personal weakness. I propose we begin in our public libraries as they house the tools to access information. As a library staff member, I am a tool keeper. That being said, I am going to put together a program in order to educate and inform my community on various issues linked to mental health. I encourage other programming librarians to do the same as well as community members going to their local public libraries and requesting that such a program be offered.
