In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Behavioral Health (BBH) is raising awareness about the mental health resources available to West Virginians. This initiative will also highlight Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week, running from May 5, 2025, through May 11, 2025, to emphasize the importance of mental health support for children and youth.

“Mental health support is vital to overall well-being, and it’s crucial that we support all West Virginians, including children, in accessing the resources they need,” said Christina Mullins, DoHS Deputy Secretary of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. “Mental Health Awareness Month and Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week offer an important opportunity to remind families of services like Help4WV, the Children’s Crisis and Referral Help Line, and WV Wraparound, ensuring that children and families, including those involved in the foster care system, have access to the care they deserve.”

DoHS encourages residents to seek help when needed and offers a variety of support services, including:

• Help4WV, a confidential helpline for individuals facing mental health and substance use challenges.
• Children’s Crisis and Referral Help Line, offering immediate support for children in crisis.
• WV Wraparound, providing family-centered care coordination for youth with complex behavioral health needs.
• Regional Youth Service Centers, which offer crisis intervention and stabilization services for youth across the state.
• West Virginia Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), providing accessible mental health services for people of all ages.
• 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a 24/7 national helpline offering crisis support, guidance, and resources to prevent suicide and mental health crises.

“Ensuring access to mental health services for all West Virginians, especially children and families in crisis or foster care, is a top priority for the Bureau for Behavioral Health,” said Nicholas Stuchell, Interim Commissioner of the DoHS Bureau for Behavioral Health. “We are committed to ensuring no one faces mental health challenges alone.”

For more information or to access resources, visit dhhr.wv.gov/BBH/about/Pages/default.aspx.