Kankakee Times

The month of July is used to raise awareness of the need for mental health services for racial and ethnic minority communities.

“Minority Mental Health Month strives to bring awareness to the resources and services available to minority communities and break the stigma surrounding mental health,” Sen. Elgie Sims Jr. (D-Chicago) wrote on Facebook.

Many leaders like Sims have used their voices to call for mental health services accessibility. Nemours Health & Prevention Services wrote that although early childhood development benefits from mental health services, many families don’t have access to it.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health describes the month this way: 

"National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each July to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for racial and ethnic minority groups to get access to mental health and substance use treatment services."

Sims worked on legislation creating the Safe 2 Help Program, a hotline designed to receive reports from the public regarding potential self-harm or criminal acts directed at schools, students or school employees.

“Our number one job is to protect our state’s most vulnerable populations,” Sims said on the Illinois Senate Democrats website. “This program was introduced to keep our children and schools safe while providing help to those who are battling mental illness.”

Sims was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 2018. His legislative experience includes serving on the Appropriations-Human Services and Business Growth & Incentives committees.

After claiming victory at the poll from Illinois’ June primary election uncontested, Sims will continue to the November general election uncontested.

In February, Sims sponsored Senate Bill 3932, which would streamline local police investigations to strengthen searches for unsolved missing person cases.

It would require a coroner or medical examiner with custody of human remains that are not identified within 72 hours of discovery to immediately notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation for assistance in the identification, according to a press release.