October 10 marked the 32nd World Mental Health Day, which is themed “Promoting Child and Adolescent Mental Health to Jointly Safeguard a Beautiful Future”. On the morning of October 10, Wuhan Mental Health Center (WMHC), in collaboration with multiple institutions within the province and city, held a large-sized outdoor publicity event themed on mental health. The event aimed to promote public awareness in mental and psychiatric health by sharing scientific and effective knowledge on diseases and rehabilitation, reduce perceived self stigma, eliminate prejudices and advance the formation of an understanding, inclusive and caring public atmosphere for mental disorder patients, thereby facilitating social harmony and stability.

The event was participated by Liu Dongru, Deputy Director of Health Commission of Hubei Province (HCHP) and first-level inspector, Wang Gaimin, Deputy Director of Disabled Persons Federation of Hubei Province (DPFHP), Peng Xu, Director of Disease Prevention and Control Department of HCHP, Li Ziliang, Deputy Director of Rehabilitation Department of DPFHP, Wang Huiling, director of Hubei Mental Health Center, Chen Bo, Chairman of Hubei Association of Persons with Intellectual Disability and their Relatives, Li Hongjing, Secretary of CPC Party Leadership Group and Director of Wuhan Disabled Persons Federation, Zhou Jungan, Deputy Director of Wuhan Health Commission, Zhang Yao, Director of Disease Prevention and Control Department of Wuhan Health Commission, Lin Xiaoqun, Director of Social Welfare Production Management Office of Wuhan Civil Affairs Bureau, Li Wen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Party Committee of the Joint Office of Wuhan Medical and Health Association and all leaders of Wuhan Mental Health Center.

The event was co-organized by Hubei Health Commission, Disabled Persons Federation of Hubei Province, Hubei Preventive Medicine Association, Hubei Mental Health Center, Wuhan Health Commission, Wuhan Disabled Persons Federation, Wuhan Civil Affairs Bureau and Wuhan Medical Association. The opening ceremony was hosted by Li Yi, Chairman of Hubei and Wuhan mental health associations and President of Wuhan Mental Health Center.

Zhou Jungan, Deputy Director of Wuhan Health Commission, said in his keynote speech that the municipal Party committee and municipal government have long attached great importance to the development of psychiatric and mental health, actively advanced the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and psychological health and carried out extensive health knowledge publicity, resulting in gradually rising social awareness in mental health.

In his keynote speech, Wang Gaimin, Deputy Director of Disabled Persons Federation of Hubei Province, stressed that it was very necessary to publicize the World Mental Health Day in the current situation. In the 8th National Congress of China Disabled Persons Federation just concluded, state councilor Shen Yiqin explicitly stated that China would further improve social security and caring service systems for disabled persons and promote comprehensive development of the cause of dignity for people with disabilities in the Chinese path to modernization. The statement provides a clear direction of the responsibilities and tasks related to disabled persons’ work and our efforts.

Liu Dongru, Deputy Director of Health Commission of Hubei Province (HCHP) and first-level inspector, said that mental health is relevant to everyone and strengthening mental health services was of great significance for satisfying people's increasing demand for diverse health services and promoting the construction of a healthy Hubei. Presently, a 3-tier mental disorder prevention and treatment system compassing provincial, municipal and county levels has been built upon mental health specialty hospitals or psychiatric department of comprehensive departments. The system is committed to providing specialized disease diagnosis, treatment, psychological consulting and rehabilitation services for special groups including children and the elderly.

More than 300 individuals, including personnel from Hubei Provincial People's Hospital, Tianyou Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan Wudong Hospital, Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, Wuhan Youfu Hospital and Wuhan Mental Health Center, employees from disabled persons federations from different districts, sunshine stations and autism rehabilitation institutions, as well as disabled individuals, autistic children and their relatives.

Free consulting and rehabilitation interaction services were also offered at Shouyi Station, attracting an endless stream of citizens. After learning about their mental health conditions, experts patiently responded to their questions.

“Now the country is fine and life is peaceful. Is this the same as what you looked forward to?”, students and teachers from Peizhi Central School of Wuchang District performed the chorus As You Wish to kick off the program shows. The diverse and colorful series programs evoked enthusiastic reactions from the audience who applauded and cheered from time to time.

The programs included saxophone and cucurbit flute ensemble by Beautiful Home of Jiang’an District; group recitation of What Else is More Vivid than Nature by Friendship Bluesky Social Worker Center of Jianghan District; chorus The Same as You by Hanjiadun Street Service Station of Wuhan Morning Innovation Social Service Center; sign dance My Motherland and I by Sunshine Station of Liujiaoting Street, Qiaokou District; aerobics dancing Ode to the Motherland by Baibuting Sunshine Station of Jiang’an District; eurhythmics and instrumental ensemble by Xujiapeng Sunhine Home of Wuchang District; solo Fly Far and High by Lebang Social Work Service Center of Hanyang District; and African drum performance by Snail Home of Jiang’an District. The series programs allowed the audience to immerse themselves in a warming, grateful and powerful atmosphere, conveying a spirit of self-resilience and endeavor of patients with mental disorders and effectively reducing external misunderstanding towards them.

After the performances, guests took a tour to visit exhibitions where they listened to the aspirations of patients and their relatives and further understood their life and rehabilitation, expressing their sincere gratefulness to psychiatric rehabilitation workers.

In addition, the event was also live streamed online with an attempt to raise the awareness of more people in mental health and psychiatry through the themed publicity of the World Mental Health Day.