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Ames to hold mental health public forum, connect residents with resources

Ames Tribune - 5/3/2021

Ames Mayor John Haila will host a public forum later this month to "address mental health concerns, identify symptoms of mental illness, and connect residents with resources in central Iowa," according to a city news release.

The Mental Health Wellness, Recovery and Resilience Initiative will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m.May 20 at the Ames City Auditorium at 520 Sixth St. The free event will be livestreamed on social media and archived on the City of Ames website.

The forum will address the mental health effects of social isolation and restrictions brought on by COVID-19.

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“The pandemic has created trauma for so many residents — not just in Ames but all over the country and the world," Julie Saxton, Mental Health Advocate with the Ames Police Department, said in the release. "As a community, we need to come together and be part of the response.”

Keynote speaker Jason Haglund, a counselor based in Story City, will talk about how to identify and respond to stress from the pandemic. A panel discussion will feature speakers from Iowa State University, Ames Community School District, Central Iowa Community Services Mental Health Region and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

The city forum is the first event in a series of free mental health trainings and educational opportunities planned through September.

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Isabella Rosario is a public safety reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached by email at irosario@gannett.com or on Twitter at @irosarioc.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ames to hold mental health public forum, connect residents with resources

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