On coffee shop counters and restaurant tables across Lake County, Ohio, a quiet conversation is beginning. Coffee sleeves bearing the words "Breathe. Sip. Reset." sit next to coasters in neighborhood cafés, nudging people to pause mid-morning or mid-meal and remember that their mental health matters. It's a deceptively simple idea—but for the Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, it's a deliberate strategy to meet people where they actually live their lives, rather than waiting for them to find their way to a clinic.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a national observance that the ADAMHS Board is marking with a countywide campaign built on everyday moments. From 1922 Coffee and Brew in Painesville Township to Open Door in Madison, from Calico Jack in Mentor to Couchland Coffee House in Wickliffe, participating locations have become distribution points for a message that carries real weight: one in five adults will experience a mental health condition each year. That statistic isn't abstract—it means the person in line behind you, the neighbor three houses down, the colleague at the next desk. It's all of us.
"We want to ensure people know that support is available, often right here in their own communities," said David Schick, the ADAMHS Board's Director of Marketing and Communications. He frames the campaign through an honest lens: "We all know what a good day feels like, and we all know how hard those days can be to come by, especially when someone is struggling." This year's theme, "More Good Days, Together," echoes that sentiment—not chasing perfection, but building progress.
The tangible design of the campaign matters. Coffee sleeves and drink coasters are the kind of small touchpoints people actually use and see repeatedly. They're designed to spark conversations in spaces where conversations already happen naturally—the coffee shop, the dinner table. Lake County Commissioner Morgan McIntosh sees that elemental approach as central to the work: "Real engagement, that's how we reduce stigma and create more 'good days' for everyone in our community."
Behind the sleeves and coasters sits a network of actual services. The ADAMHS Board coordinates mental health and substance use disorder services through local providers, many of which offer little to no wait times for connecting residents with care. That matters immensely. Commissioner John Plecnik emphasized this practical reality—the board isn't just raising awareness; it's removing barriers to immediate help. "Early help leads to better outcomes," Schick noted, underlining the board's commitment to prevention and early intervention.
The campaign also carries institutional weight. Mental Health America founded Mental Health Awareness Month in 1949 and continues to lead this nationwide effort, partnering with multiple agencies and nonprofits. Lake County Commissioner Morris Beverage III framed the work as something that touches every family and every neighborhood: "This campaign is a simple but powerful reminder that support is all around us, and that even small conversations can make a big difference."
For residents seeking support, the pathway is clear. The Lake County ADAMHS Board Compass Line is available at 440-350-2000, and their website, HelpThatWorks.us, offers information on available services. For anyone in crisis, the Lake County Crisis Hotline (440-953-TALK) and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline operate 24/7. The message threaded through every initiative is the same: you're not alone, and help is closer than you might think.