The familiar sound of an alarm pulls Cassidy from slumber. She braces herself for the day ahead, the tightness in her chest returning. Sunlight streams through the curtains as she reaches for her phone, diving into a barrage of messages and social media updates. As she scrolls through posts showcasing her friends partying, dieting tips from unrealistically thin women, and her favorite influencer’s most recent, expensive shopping haul – Cassidy feels overwhelmed. By the time she sets her phone aside, Cassidy is already battling feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and depression, all before 9 a.m ..read more

February is Black History Month – a time to celebrate and honor the rich history, stories, of contributions of Black Americans. This month, our Culture Champions team worked to identify staff who felt comfortable and willing to film a personal video message, which would be shared on our social media pages and internally through emails. The six individuals selected were each provided a short and specific question – “What is a message you’d like to share this Black History Month?” A few spoke about the importance of mental health and the stigma around it, especially in the Black Community. One ..read more

July is designated as the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Month. While there exist recent attempts to simplify the name, one cannot speak of this important icon month without acknowledging the efforts of Bebe Moore Campbell. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): “her trailblazing work in helping to shift the mental health culture and break down systemic barriers in underserved communities should be recognized forever.” Bebe Moore Campbell fearlessly challenged the status quo. Not only did her literary works address the impact of racism and stigmas s ..read more

There’s no better time to honor the history, culture, and civic contributions of Americans with heritage from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. In 1968, it began as Hispanic Heritage Week. Exactly twenty years later, it expanded to an entire month-long celebration and cultural extravaganza. The first day of the celebration aligns with the independence days of several nations, including the following: Chile | Costa Rica | El Salvador | Honduras | Mexico | Nicaragua The term “Hispanic.” “Hispanic” is a pan-ethnic term that applies to Americans of Mexican or Latin America ..read more

According to a survey that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) did in 2021, 16.5% of the American population meet criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). However, SAMHSA has known about these trends for a while now. In 1989, they launched September as National Recovery Month to increase public awareness. The goal is to promote and support evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, and to recognize the work that service providers and community peer-support members do to make recovery accessible. At Metrocare, we believe that recovery is an ongoing ..read more

Metrocare fully supports our society’s efforts to raise awareness of mental health. For us, mental health is physical health. However, reducing the stigma of behavioral healthcare continues to prove an obstacle. As kids, perhaps you’ve heard a coach, a teacher, or a parent says something like, “It’s all in your head.” While the truth of the statement cannot be argued, the implied message often leads to a dismissal or downplaying of that person’s experience. Of course, “it’s all in our heads.” That’s where our brains reside. The human brain can no longer be treated as a less important organ th ..read more

The word trauma – which originates from the Greek word for wound – has become a part of the mainstream conversation. Dr. Gabor Mate, calls trauma “a psychic wound.” He explains, “Trauma is not what happens to you, it’s what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you.” While most humans will experience various levels of trauma over the course of their lives, occasionally these experiences impact the individual to such a degree that the symptoms persist for months, even years. Clinicians diagnose this phenomenon as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). June is National PTSD Awarene ..read more

Metrocare has a new, brighter look and feel. The old branding served us well. It gave an impression of professionalism and people. This worked because Metrocare has been Dallas County’s primary provider of mental health and disability services for decades. Entire communities have been impacted by our clinics, care coordinators, and intensive programs. Metrocare’s reach is broad and our clients could easily constitute a decent-sized city (last year we served over 50,000 people!). With this continued growth in mind, we want to ensure that the individual remains central. The story of Metrocare ..read more

April is National Autism Awareness Month. The original goal of the designation reaches back to the 1970’s as medical professionals and parents sought to educate the public about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its effects on people’s lives. Fifty years later, the need for awareness and stigma reduction has never been more relevant. Recent reports indicate that 1 in 44 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with ASD – boys being four times more likely than girls to experience autism. As the largest provider of mental health and disability services in Dallas County, Metrocare recognizes the need ..read more

Metrocare employee and military veteran, Kevin Hall, speaks of his experience following his tour in Iraq. “I encourage everyone—civilian and otherwise, to get the education and know the signs. It’s all a joke until it’s you, your spouse, or your child.” Kevin was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of his service. While his current civilian life is filled with all the standard joys of life – family, friends, and fulfilling work – he also carries with him the effects of war trauma. “The associated physiological characteristics were still new at the time,” expla ..read more