May 3, 2023

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. For the past 20 years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has recognized Mental Health Awareness Month every May to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being. Learn more about each week's theme below and discover more here.

Week 1: This week's focus is to spread acceptance and support for the people we know and love who are experiencing mental health challenges. When it comes to mental health, small actions equal big impact.

Week 2: This week's focus is on strategies for managing mental health, such as self care.  Self-care is important for your mental health.

Week 3: The focus this week is to promote acceptance and compassion surrounding mental illness. Language matters; let's work together to use person-first language and avoid derogatory terms.  We play a part in one another’s mental wellness.

Week 4: The final goal this week is to encourage individuals to seek help if they need it, as well as support others by offering words of encouragement and celebrating small successes. Let’s support each other and make it okay to reach out and seek help whenever we need it.

National Adolescent Health Month

National Adolescent Health Month™ (NAHM) is a health observance hosted by the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA) each year in May. This annual observance emphasizes the importance of building on young people’s strengths and potential, encouraging meaningful youth engagement in adolescent health activities, and highlighting key topics in adolescent health. The NAHM 2023 weekly themes are:

Week 1: Expand sexual and reproductive health information and services

Week 2: Promote self-care to support mental health

Week 3: Celebrate ways that communities support health

Week 4: Equip adults to support adolescent health

Learn more here.

Women’s Health Week: May 14-20

National Women’s Health Week is celebrated each year, beginning on Mother’s Day, to encourage women and girls to make their health a priority. The theme for this year is, “Women’s Health, Whole Health: Prevention, Care and Wellbeing.” To improve your physical and mental health:

— Get regular checkups, including a yearly well-woman exam. Talk to a healthcare provider about any health concerns you have. To schedule an appointment with Orange County Health Department for women’s health needs, please call 919-245-2400.

— Get active.

— Eat a healthy and balanced diet.

— Prioritize your mental health and learn how to cope with stress.

— Practice healthy behaviors. Daily decisions influence your overall health.

May 20: Be Well Event

On May 20, 2023 from 2:00 - 6:00 pm, join the Orange County community for Be Well, a community wellness event, promoting physical, mental, and emotional health - free and open to all! 

The event will occur at Hargraves Community Center at 216 Roberson Street in Chapel Hill. Bring your friends and family. 

This event will also serve as the kick-off to the Community Health Assessment (CHA) Survey. The CHA uses input from the community to identify community health priorities and is released every 4 years. We look forward to community feedback as we seek to gain input on what impacts the health of Orange County. To review the CHA from 2019, click here.

May 21: No Menthol Sunday

The Center for Black Health & Equity’s No Menthol Sunday is our annual opportunity for faith communities to address the detrimental impact tobacco has on Black communities. Each year we encourage faith leaders to dedicate this day to educating congregants about smoking, vaping and the role of menthol and other flavors. The pandemic has increased the risk of smoking-related deaths in our communities, but there is so much we can do to focus on victory! This is our time to go against the grain and reject the tobacco industry’s tactics.

This year’s theme, "Focus on Victory, Go Against the Grain" encourages us to stand up against the tobacco industry and create healthy and just tobacco-free communities. Learn more here.

May 31: World No Tobacco Day

Tobacco growing harms our health, the health of farmers and the planet’s health. The tobacco industry interferes with attempts to substitute tobacco growing, contributing to the global food crisis.

The 2023 campaign encourages governments to end tobacco growing subsidies and use the savings to support to switch to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition. Learn more here.

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends

The Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ends May 11. Please share the following information with affected community members.

NCDHHS Announces Changes to COVID-19 Dashboard

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced changes to its COVID-19 dashboard and state-funded testing sites as the federal public health emergency comes to an end May 11, 2023, and COVID-19 becomes part of a routine part of public health and health care activities. Read the March 29 press release on the changes to this dashboard.

For more information regarding live updates (NCDHHS updates site every Wednesday around noon), please visit the NCDHHS website . 

Health Department Locations

Contact Information

Contact the Orange County Health Department’s Public Information Officer at: healthpio@orangecountync.gov.

Orange County Health Department:
Web: www.orangecountync.gov/coronavirus
Phone: 919-245-2400
Facebook: Orange County Health Department
Instagram:OrangeHealthNC
Twitter:Orange Health NC
Youtube: OCHDNC  

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