Mental Health Awareness Month: My Reflections & Mission

Mental Health Awareness Month always serves as an important opportunity for me to reflect on the progress we’ve made to help reduce the stigma of mental illness, as well as the work still to be done to drive greater education and access for patients. Educating patients, including underserved communities, is paramount to ensuring everyone is equipped with the resources and tools to create a better state of mental health and well-being.

I recently stepped in to lead a new internal program—the J&J Mental Health Initiative—as the newly appointed Chair. We are keenly focused on our mission to redefine what well-being means and how it is a culmination of mental health, brain health and overall health. Unfortunately, there is still stigma within many communities about having open discussions about mental health, and how it impacts overall health and well-being.

We hope to empower both our people and patients to see and incorporate the interconnectivity between mental health and overall well-being as part of what they do and how they live every day. I am passionate about the opportunity to reimagine this dynamic within our organization and externally to help improve patient outcomes.

As I take time to reflect on our efforts this month, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far. Patients who live with mental health and chronic brain disorders are stepping out to share their stories. Diverse patient experiences are being shared to help fight the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Education for healthcare professionals, including nurse practitioners and physician's assistants, will create trusted, open communication with care teams about treatment options. And at Janssen Neuroscience, we continue to make strides in educating legislators and policymakers on the need to address the mental health crisis in the United States, and to address the unmet needs patients face —especially those in underserved and marginalized communities.

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But there is more work to be done, and in order to continue affecting positive change in our communities, we must all take it upon ourselves to be champions of mental health by taking care of ourselves and taking care of others. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental well-being, I encourage you to talk with a professional to learn how you can make a positive change in your mental health.