County of Riverside 2nd Annual Executive Leadership Session

Current Articles

Reducing Stigma

Behavioral Health Community Wellness and Civil Service: A Partnership

Reducing stigma, ensuring appropriate care, and developing mentally health communities are a few of the important goals of RUHS-BH. With mental health in the national spotlight related to shootings and violence, it is more important than ever that the mental health profession educate and engage communities in discussions that fight stigma and misinformation about people who have a mental illness. Ultimately, the success of this effort in Riverside County relies on all leaders in the County taking a stance to fight the stigma of mental illness and to uplift the dignity of people who have a mental illness Up2Riverside: RUHS-BH contracts with a marketing firm, Civilian, to implement a Stigma Discrimination Reduction and Suicide Prevention campaign in Riverside County. The campaign Includes messaging through television and radio ads as well as print materials reflective of Riverside County’s diverse cultural populations and targeting all age spans. The campaign also utilizes digital media to drive individuals to resources, help lines, and website. The Up2Riverside website offers resources, educational Information, and digital stories containing testimonials of consumers with lived experiences and recovery journeys. The Directing Change Program & Film Contest is part of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement. The program offers young people the exciting opportunity to participate in the movement by creating 60-second films about suicide prevention and mental health that are used to support awareness, education, and advocacy efforts on these topics. Making these films gives young people the opportunity to critically explore and develop appropriate messaging about these topics. The participation level of Riverside County schools and students in this annual event is exceptional, as are the films they produce.