When is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health Awareness Month 2027
Sat, May 1, 2027 – Mon, May 31, 2027
The whole of May. That's in 209 days.
until Mental Health Awareness Month begins, in your time zone
Mental Health Awareness Month, also called Mental Health Month, is a May campaign to reduce stigma around mental health conditions and help people find support. The nonprofit Mental Health America has led it in the United States since 1949.
About Mental Health Awareness Month
During May, mental health organizations, schools, employers and health agencies share screening tools, education and personal stories meant to make it easier to talk about mental health and to ask for help. The focus covers everyday well-being as well as conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and substance use disorders.
Mental Health America (MHA) says it founded the observance in 1949 and has led it every May since. MHA is one of the oldest mental health nonprofits in the country. It traces its roots to the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, started in 1909 by Clifford Beers, whose memoir A Mind That Found Itself described the abuse he endured in psychiatric hospitals. In 1950 that committee merged with two other groups to form the National Association for Mental Health, the organization known today as MHA.
The group's best-known symbol came out of the same reform movement. In the early 1950s it asked asylums across the country to send in the chains and shackles once used to restrain patients, and in 1953 a Baltimore foundry melted them down and recast them as the Mental Health Bell, which MHA describes as a symbol of hope. Each year MHA publishes a toolkit around a theme; the 2026 theme was More Good Days, Together.
Anyone in the United States who is struggling or in crisis can call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Sources: Mental Health America: Mental Health Month, Mental Health America: The Mental Health Bell, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. How we check dates.
How to mark Mental Health Awareness Month
- Take a free, anonymous online mental health screening and share the results with a doctor or counselor if they concern you.
- Check in with a friend or relative you haven't heard from lately, and listen without rushing to fix things.
- Save 988 in your phone so you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for yourself or someone else.
- Build one small, steady habit this month, such as a daily walk, a regular bedtime or a screen-free hour before sleep.
- Find out what counseling or employee assistance services your workplace or school offers, and share that information with others.
Mental Health Awareness Month dates
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Thu, May 1 – Sat, May 31 |
| 2026 | Fri, May 1 – Sun, May 31 |
| 2027 | Sat, May 1 – Mon, May 31 |
| 2028 | Mon, May 1 – Wed, May 31 |
| 2029 | Tue, May 1 – Thu, May 31 |
| 2030 | Wed, May 1 – Fri, May 31 |
| 2031 | Thu, May 1 – Sat, May 31 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is Mental Health Awareness Month 2027?
Mental Health Awareness Month 2027 is Sat, May 1, 2027 – Mon, May 31, 2027. It falls on the whole of May. In 2028, it is on Monday, May 1, 2028.
Is it Mental Health Month or Mental Health Awareness Month?
Both names are used for the same May observance. Mental Health America, which started it in 1949, uses both, and many other groups and agencies say Mental Health Awareness Month.
Where can I get help right away?
In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org to reach a trained counselor any time. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Is Mental Health Awareness Month a public holiday?
No. Mental Health Awareness Month is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.