MAY 7 th , 2024
DOUG CHAFFEE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR BRINGING THIS 1
IMPORTANT MATTER TO US THIS MORNING. I'M DOUG CHAFFEE, FOURTH 2
DISTRICT SUPERVISOR AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. YOU KNOW, 3
MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE FROM CHILDHOOD 4
AND ADOLESCENCE THROUGH ADULTHOOD. TODAY MARKS THE END OF 5
CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK. IN THE 29th ANNUAL 6
CONDITION OF CHILDREN REPORT THAT WE DO HERE IN THE COUNTY 7
WHICH WE TRY TO DO EVERY YEAR TO LOOK AT HOW WE DID IN THE 8
PAST, WHAT'S NEW, WHAT CAN WE LOOK AT TO DO BETTER IN THE 9
CURRENT YEAR, THERE WERE TROUBLING STATISTICS REGARDING OUR 10
CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH IN ORANGE COUNTY. THE REPORT HAD 11
INDICATED THERE WAS AN 8.5% INCREASE IN PERCENTAGE OF 11th 12
GRADE STUDENTS EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION OR RELATED FEELINGS. 13
ALSO INDICATED SUICIDE IS NOW THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG 14
10-YEAR-OLD TO 14-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN IN ORANGE COUNTY. INDEED, 15
WE HAVE WORK TO DO. DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, 16
ORANGE COUNTY REDEDICATES ITSELF TO DESTIGMATIZING MENTAL 17
HEALTH AND OFFERING NEW WAYS OF SUPPORT. NOW, HESITATION TO 18
TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CAN FURTHER STIGMATIZE THE TOPIC AND 19
CAN DETER INDIVIDUALS FROM REACHING OUT FOR HELP SUCH AS THOSE 20
CONSIDERING SUICIDE. TALK ABOUT IT. REACH OUT. THOSE THAT YOU 21
REACH OUT TO, PLEASE REACH BACK. TO ALL THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY 22
THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION OR CRISIS, 23
REMEMBER, YOU'RE NOT ALONE, RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE. IF YOU ARE 24
LOOKING FOR RESOURCES TO HELP, VISIT THE OC NAVIGATOR FOR MORE 25
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