Turning Awareness into Action: HighlightING Whole-Person Mental Health

Mental Health Awareness Month elevates the importance of emotional well-being and reduces stigma around mental illness. This year’s theme, “Turn Awareness into Action,” set by Mental Health America, urges individuals to go beyond understanding mental health issues and take meaningful steps toward self-care, connection, and advocacy. This message resonates deeply with the providers of North Side Christian Health Center. With a mission to provide whole-person care - mind, body, and spirit - NSCHC is proud to provide integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health services to the underserved populations of Pittsburgh’s Northside.

“NSCHC provides the exclusive opportunity for our patients to be cared for holistically,” says Hector Santos, LPC, one of NSCHC’s Behavioral Health Therapists. “By focusing on the whole person, rather than just symptoms, individuals can achieve more sustainable and lasting improvements in their mental health.”

One resource being highlighted this month is the “5 C’s of Mental Health,” a framework that promotes well-being through five pillars: Connection, Coping, Compassion, Community, and Care. These guiding principles align with NSCHC’s approach to behavioral health—supporting patients through relationship-building, resilience training, community belonging, and access to self-care strategies. As NSCHC continues its work to address health disparities, its commitment to culturally competent, holistic care serves as a model for what it means to not just be aware of mental health, but to act with compassion and purpose.

This May, NSCHC invites the Northside community to take action—whether through self-reflection, supporting a neighbor, or seeking help—and to remember that mental health is health.