Since 1949, we have observed Mental Health Awareness Month in May. This month encourages us to unite and recognize the effects mental health has on our overall well-being. According to the National Institute of Mental Health*, nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness. Estimates suggest only half of the people with mental illness receive treatment.

Mental illness has two broad categories: any mental illness and serious mental illness. AMI is a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder. As the name implies, its impacts on an individual varies, ranging from no impairment to mild, moderate and even severe impairment. On the other hand, SMI is similar to AMI, except that it results in a severe functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

During the last 10 years that I have worked for the Forest Service, I have witnessed changes slowly moving in the right direction. When I first began working for the Forest Service, I tried to hide my disability. The first time I talked to a supervisor about it, I struggled, feeling dismissed and treated as if my mental illness was not an actual disability. A few years ago, I was temporarily assigned a new supervisor who came from another agency. The first thing this supervisor did was help me get a reasonable accommodation.

The accommodations helped me more than I could have ever imagined. Without these accommodations, I would not be a current Forest Service employee. However, even with the accommodations, I still struggled with the stigma and prejudice associated with mental illness.

Over the last few years, USDA and the Forest Service have increased awareness regarding mental illness. Webinars and conversations have brought mental health awareness to forefront, reminding us that everyone needs to take care of their mental well-being. With the agency’s increasing awareness, I no longer face the same stigmas and prejudices that I experienced just a few short years ago. It is a good start. We still have a long road ahead, but no journey worth taking is ever quick and easy. With the support of friends, family and coworkers, we can all make this a successful journey.

*National Institute of Mental Health, 2022 January, Mental Illness