If you are planning employee newsletters, intranets, or other communications, we’ve compiled a list of May events with links to helpful resources from event sponsors or topical experts. Some links include tool kits and social media messages related to the event; others offer valuable information on the topic. Here’s our pick of May dates & events that you may want to check out and promote to your employees.
Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Month, and Mental Health America has designated the 2024 as “Where to Start”, saying that:
“The world is constantly changing – for better or for worse – and it can be overwhelming to deal with everything going on around you. While society is getting more comfortable discussing mental health, it can still be hard to know “Where to Start” when it comes to taking care of your own well-being. This May, Mental Health America will help you:
- LEARN how modern life affects mental health with new resources to navigate our changing world.
- ACT by building your coping toolbox so you can manage stress, difficult emotions, and challenging situations.
- ADVOCATE to improve mental health for yourself, your friends and family, and your community.
For anyone struggling with the pressure of today’s world, feeling alone, or wondering if they can feel better, this is Where to Start.
MHA invites you to take a mental health screening and to download the 2024 Mental Health Month Toolkit with DIY tools, social media assets, resources, templates, printable handouts, and more.
Always remember, if you or someone you know is in danger of self-harm or harming others, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline.
Please note the following services that ESI EAP provides to our members:
- Telephonic in-the-moment counseling from clinical professionals 24/7/365 for anxiety, depression, mental health issues.
- One-to-one professional coaching for stress management, resilience, and wellness issues.
- Online self-help resources, assessments, and video courses for mental health issues.
- See our recent blog post: Making Employee Mental Health a Priority
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offer a wealth of fact sheets, publications, and other resources to help with the mission of public education. Also see our blog post, below.
Physical Fitness and Sports Month
In May, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) celebrates National Physical Fitness and Sports Month to promote the benefits of being physically active. Encourage others to get moving by using their Move Your Way Community Resources and Activity Planner — and join the LinkedIn group to engage and share ideas with other organizations about implementing Move Your Way. You can also help older adults get moving with guidance from the Physical Activity Guidelines Midcourse Report. Find strategies to get youth involved in sports by using the National Youth Sports Strategy. Share our MyHealthfinder physical activity page for tips and info to make getting active a part of your routine. And lastly, check out these Healthy People 2030 physical activity evidence-based resources to implement in your community
- May is also Bike Month and the League of American Bicyclists has you covered with a variety of tools and educational materials on their site. See links below for Bike to Work Week and Bike & Roll to School Day.
- See this NPR article: 9 energizing ideas that can put a spring in your step9 energizing ideas that can put a spring in your step
- Login to ES EAP for more tools on fitness and exercise, or call to work on your goals with a Fitness Coach.
More Key May Observances
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Prevention and Awareness Month
- Older Americans Month
- Clean Air Month
- National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- National Stroke Awareness Month
- National Bike Month
- Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
- Brain Tumor Awareness Month
- 6-10 – Air Quality Awareness Week
- 7 – World Asthma Day
- 8 – National Bike & Roll to School Day
- 12 – Mother’s Day
- 12-18 – National Women’s Health Week
- 13-19 – Bike to Work Week
- 18 – HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
- 27 – Memorial Day
- 31 – World No Tobacco Day