Los Alamos County proclaims May Mental Health Awareness Month

Los Alamos County used a routine government action to send a public-health message: mental well-being belongs alongside physical health in the county’s daily civic life. On May 20, the Los Alamos County Health Council accepted a proclamation declaring May as Mental Health Awareness Month and called on residents to reduce stigma, celebrate recovery, and support “More Good Days.”

The proclamation linked Los Alamos to a national observance that Mental Health America founded in 1949, and it echoed the organization’s 2026 theme, “More Good Days, Together.” County leaders framed the month as more than a ceremonial nod, treating it as a reminder that families, students, workers, caregivers, and seniors all live with the effects of stress, isolation, depression, anxiety, and other mental-health challenges.

The Health Council is formally recognized by the County Council as the county’s community health planning body, and it meets monthly on the first Thursday from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. The 2026 proclamation was accepted by Health Council Chair Lisa Hampton, Vice Chair Marna Riedel, member Matthew McCleary, member Heather Muck, Los Alamos County Social Services Division Manager Jessica Strong, County Councilor Melanee Hand, Los Alamos Community Foundation fellow Brandi Weiss, Los Alamos JJAB’s Jennifer McNeel, Las Clinicas del Norte’s Leticia Martinez, LARSO Executive Director Ramon Garcia, Family YMCA’s George Marsden, and YMCA Teen Center Director Eli Argo.

The county’s action also fit into a longer pattern. Los Alamos County proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month in 2025 as well, making the observance an annual practice rather than a one-time statement. Local partners have repeatedly used that month to keep mental health in view, including SALA’s 2023 Parallel Cinema series, themed “Mental Health Matters,” with partners such as the LAPS Prevention Program, Los Alamos JJAB, the Los Alamos County Municipal Court, and the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation.

That same community network was again visible in 2026, when Los Alamos County Social Services announced multiple May opportunities to build skills that support mental well-being. Los Alamos Public Schools also marked May as Mental Health Month in a 2024 news release. Together, those efforts show a county trying to normalize mental-health conversation across schools, nonprofits, and government, so help feels more present in everyday life and less like a hidden crisis.