Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 by the National Association for Mental Health, now known as Mental Health America. The National Association for Mental Health was founded in 1909 by Clifford Whittingham Beers. Mental Health Awareness Month was established in part to honor Mr. Beer’s legacy and to continue his work leading to reforms in mental health care. Mental Health America’s 2026 campaign themed “More Good Days Together” is focusing on community connections and offering actionable tools and resources to foster mental wellness.
In his 1908 autobiography A Mind That Found Itself, Mr. Beers describes his own struggles with depression and paranoia and chronicles his institutionalization, abuse and eventual recovery. By writing his book, Mr. Beers hoped to reform the treatment of patients in mental institutions after experiencing “malpractice, maltreatment, and immense bias” firsthand.
“Many of these fears and biases persist to this day”, says Mr. Owen Hombsch, site manager and therapist at Summit Counseling’s Dodgeville office. “The goal of Mental Health Awareness month is to educate the public about mental illness, reduce stigma, and promote mental wellness.”
“Fear of stigma and embarrassment remains a significant deterrent for many that could benefit from mental health care”, says Hombsch. “According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 26 percent of people surveyed stated they ‘thought they could handle the problem without treatment’. Other important barriers cited by the APA include cost, not knowing where to go, not having the time and confidentiality.”
An excellent source for finding support is the Aging and Disability Resource Directory published by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. This online directory can be accessed for free by going to www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc. Resources specific to Iowa county may be found there including mental health resources.
The Wisconsin branch of the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) at namiwisconsin.org. NAMI Southwestern Wisconsin, serves Iowa, Grant, and Crawford counties. And NAMI Wisconsin offers virtual support groups and a state helpline.
“Another way of finding local resources”, says Hombsch, “is to use the keywords ‘mental health Iowa county WI’ or ‘counselors Iowa county WI’ in your favorite search engine. You may be surprised at the availability and quality of mental health resources we have locally.”