As Independence Day and the celebration of the birth of our nation quickly approaches, remember that the Fourth of July is a time when well-intentioned fireworks can trigger and increase feelings of anxiety, sadness, fear, and painful memories for persons who have been impacted by trauma.  
 
The following suggestions may help:
 

• Stay in and make a plan - Prepare in advance by practicing calming strategies such as finding a quiet place, using noise canceling headphones/ear buds, listening to music, or prayer/meditation. If you do go out, plan an exit strategy in the event you begin to feel uncomfortable.

 

• Talk with others - Giving your family, friends and/or neighbors a quick heads up before they start celebrating with fireworks can help. You can choose how much information to share, but the message really is that if they are planning to set off fireworks to please advise you ahead of time so you can be ready.

 

• Acclimate now - Many of us have experienced fireworks more often and earlier this year, but for those who haven’t, get yourself used to loud noises by popping corn and bouncing a ball in your home.

​We hope you have a happy and safe holiday!

Check the video to see who the winners are for the final lime light contest drawing! Thank you again to all the staff who participated in the contests. Check out the contest photos on DBH Now News.

That's a wrap for Mental Health Month 2022! Thank you to all the staff who participated in the lime light DBH staff contests!

Watch the video above to find out the two winners of gift cards to Starbucks, courtesy of Allison Cunningham!
The LAST day to enter the contest is Tuesday, May 31 at 12 p.m. Don't forget to submit your entry for a chance to win!

It’s Mental Health Month and San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman joins the podcast to talk about the importance of mental health and reducing the stigma. San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Dawn Rowe shares how she practices self-care and the importance of finding a healthy way of practicing self-care.

National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards
DBH has been recognized with 7 NACo Achievement Awards! The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

This year's winners are:
 Community Program Planning - Office of Equity and Inclusion MHSA
 Office of Disaster & Safety – Compliance/Disaster and Safety
 Outreach Training Program - Public Relations and Outreach
 Partnership with Community Pharmacies – Medical Services
 Project Hope COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics – Disaster and Safety
 Recovery Happens – Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services
 Resilient and Real Podcast – Public Relations and Outreach

28th Annual Communicator Awards
DBH's Resilient and Real Podcast is now a multiple award-winning podcast! The podcast has won an Award of Distinction for the 28th Annual Communicator Awards. The Communicator Awards recognizes excellence, effectiveness, and innovation across all areas of communication and receives almost 5,000 entries, making it one of the leading international awards program in communications.

Congrats to all who helped make these awards happen!

DBH staff are kicking off Mental Health Month with lime green attire and decorations! Don't forget to submit your entry to participate in the DBH Lime Light Staff Contests. ​