May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Buffalo Bills are committed to prioritizing mental health all year round.
This year, the Bills Foundation is pledging a $10,000 donation to BestSelf Behavioral Health, a WNY organization with family-focused behavioral health services to promote health, hope, recovery, and an enhanced quality of life.
The donation will go directly toward addressing mental health in communities of color in WNY, with a special focus on high-risk youth and their families.
The Buffalo Bills organization is excited to continue investing in mental health resources in the Buffalo community. For Bills head coach Sean McDermott, one of his biggest priorities as a coach is promoting a culture where players and staff members can feel confident in taking care of their mental health.
"The job description of a coach is not just coaching X's and O's, it's much more than that," McDermott said. "And so, to me, the health and well-being of your staff and your players is the number one job of a coach in this situation, and so that includes mental health."
Here are links to organizations based in Western New York where people can help find assistance.
BestSelf Behavioral Health
No matter how old you are, where you live in Western New York or what challenges you're facing—BestSelf Behavioral Health can provide you and your family with the innovative and evidence-based services you need, along with a personal and caring approach that will help you feel respected, valued, confident and hopeful. We are proud to offer numerous locations that provide all of the mental health and substance use disorders treatment and rehabilitation services you need.
Learn more: https://www.bestselfwny.org/
ECMC – Health Services:
The Regional Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health is proud to offer mental health, psychiatric, and substance use treatment services. Our team of compassionate specialists provides care on both an inpatient and outpatient basis to best serve the needs of our community and patients.
Erie Path
Erie Path is Erie County's new smartphone app that helps parents and caregivers address the mental and behavioral health challenges faced by children and adolescents:
- Find available programs and services for children and adolescents.
- Access information that explains what their children and adolescents may face.
- Explore practical strategies for helping children and adolescents in their care.
Learn more: erie.gov/eriepath
Crisis Services:
You are not alone. Crisis Services is ready to support you through moments of urgency. In addition to our main 24-Hour Crisis Hotline, you can safely and confidentially call one of our specialized Crisis Counseling Program Hotlines to best respond to your individual crisis. Free of charge, no matter what you're going through. Every Crisis Services number is ready to help.
- 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: 716-834-3131
- Buffalo & Erie County Addiction Hotline: 716-831-7007
- Kids Helpline: 716-834-1144 or 1-877-KIDS-400
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
Learn more: https://crisisservices.org/
Mental Health Advocates:
For 60 years, Mental Health Advocates of WNY (formerly Mental Health Association of Erie County) has been deeply committed to providing essential non-clinical services that address the needs of individuals, families and communities living with mental illness.
Through awareness, education, prevention, early intervention programs and supportive services, we advocate for and actively promote mental health and wellness for adults, families and children in homes, schools and workplaces across Western New York.
Learn more: https://mhawny.org/
Lets Talk Stigma:
If you're dealing with a mental health challenge, you are not alone. Approximately 1 in 5 Western New Yorkers are living with a mental health diagnosis, yet many of these people suffer in silence because of the discrimination that goes along with it. So, we're starting a conversation to end the stigma surrounding mental illness. Join us as we share our stories, our struggles and our successes. When we talk about mental health, we help everyone find their voice.
Learn more: https://letstalkstigma.org/
