As most of us working in the mental health field know, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. However, not as many of us know how this month long effort to reduce stigma and increase education and awareness surrounding mental health and trauma started. It all began in 1949 when Mental Health America, then knownas the National Association for Mental Health, sought to increase the public's knowledge about individuals, families, and communities can be impacted by trauma and the societal Impacts of mental health. Since then, the movement has blossomed and organizations across the United States use the month of May to increase the significance of accurate information and support from the public, as well well as, access to treatment and prevention techniques for those who are impacted by mental illnesses. For more Information onMental Health Awareness Month,  please visit mhanational.org.