May 11, 2021

This Mental Health Month, we hope you’ll join us in an exploration of what mental health means to you and your community. Be sure to check out our social media – Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, for opportunities to share what mental health means to you, and hear from some of our staff on why this work is important to them personally, not just professionally.

Jodi Lewis, Program Manager, Waiver Case Management & Housing First, shares her thoughts on this topic. 

Learn more about Mental Health Month and GiveMN Spring Forward campaign.

We all have mental health but what does it mean to you? 

Mental health means well-being in different areas of life including the ability to form and maintain relationships with others and the ability to feel and express a range of positive and negative emotions.

What enhances your mental well-being? 

My well-being is enhanced by my relationships with my family and friends and the time I spend caring for myself through activities I enjoy that benefit my overall self.

What does the concept “person-centered” care mean to you and to your work helping clients?

Person-centered care means empowering the individuals we work with to take charge of their own care and be active participants in determining their own path including what wellness looks like to them.

What does mental health look like when you’re at your best?  

When I am at my best I am able to enjoy and participate in all areas of my life- family, work, friends and my own personal self-care. This includes recognizing that I must take care of myself first before I am able to care for others.