May is mental health awareness month, and a Make it OK Day event has been planned by Community Health Center of Fort Dodge to take place on May 16 around the Fort Dodge city square from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Make it OK is a campaign created by Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative. The day is to help educate Iowans and start conversations about mental health. By breaking down the stigma around mental health, people with mental illness will feel safe to talk about it and will find it easier to ask for help in finding treatment and resources.

“This will be our third year of holding a Make it OK Day event in Fort Dodge. It just keeps growing. We love to see that,” said Regina Suhrbier, outreach coordinator for Community Health Center of Fort Dodge. “So many local organizations have been working together over these past few years to create more awareness for mental health through this event and our Slam the Stigma events. We want the community to know that mental health resources are available and that it is OK to talk about mental health.”

Anyone who would like to come and show their support for mental health is invited to attend. Wearing green is the only ask; green is the color for mental health. Participants can join in on their lunch break, get out for some fresh air and walk a few laps around the library. The Feedshack will be on site for anyone wanting to buy lunch and the Ardys Mae trailer will have drinks and ice cream for sale. A number of local resources for mental health will be on hand for anyone to talk to and gather information.

Those include: Community Health Center of Fort Dodge, Webster County Public Health, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Community and Family Resources, Crisis Intervention Services, UnityPoint Berryhill Center, UnityPoint Eyerly Ball, YWCA, NAMI of Central Iowa, Catholic Charities Innovative Counseling & Consulting, Central Iowa Community Services, Regional Autism Assistance Program, Webster County Public Health TIPP program, Upper Des Moines Opportunity and Molina.

More information about Make it OK can be found at www.makeitok.org/Iowa.

Anyone with questions about the Fort Dodge Make it Ok walk can reach out to Suhrbier at rsuhrbier@chcfortdodge.com or by calling 515-576-6500.