Catholic Charities joins National Catholic Mental Health Campaign set for Oct. 10-18

Catholic Charities of Buffalo is joining with other Catholic organizations in observing World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 and the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign, Oct. 10-18. As a faith-based organization, Catholic Charities is working with parishes and other local diocesan organizations to promote this upcoming campaign through prayer and education about mental health services available in Western New York.

“Mental health issues know no socio-economic barriers and providing needed access to counseling services for the poor and marginalized is essential to giving these individuals hope for a happier and healthier life,” said Shabrin Haque, MD, medical director, Catholic Charities Behavioral Health. “Catholic Charities operates from the basic belief that everyone who needs help should receive help.”

Each year, more than 8,000 Western New Yorkers of all faiths, ages and backgrounds rely on the counseling and behavioral health services at Catholic Charities to deal with acute and chronic mental health challenges. Services are available to help with day-to-day troubles and serious concerns for families, adults and seniors throughout all eight counties of Western New York. Catholic Charities also offers children’s clinics in Niagara Falls and Lockport that serves children ages 3-21 who present an emotional disorder, and who are appropriate for outpatient care.

The focus of the National Catholic Mental Health Campaign is threefold – to raise awareness of the mental health crisis, combat stigma surrounding the topic of mental health, and advocate for all those impacted by mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness.

If you or a loved one needs mental health services, please contact your local Catholic Charities office in the surrounding Western New York counties. For more information or to initiate a referral in Erie County, call the Behavioral Health Central Intake unit at 1-877-448-4466.