NORFOLK, Va., May 2, 2022 – Mental Health Awareness Month is upon us with the calendar flipping from April to May, and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) wants to do its part in supporting those with mental health struggles and help remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
“Mental health has increasingly been in the spotlight these last few years, particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of mental health can no longer be ignored,” MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills said. “It is vital that our student-athletes, coaches, support staff and university communities put as much emphasis on mental health as they do physical health, and ignoring our mental health can have disastrous consequences. I applaud Dr. Harry Stafford, our Chief Medical Officer, for his commitment to fighting the stigma surrounding mental health and making sure our institutions are well-situated to respond when needed.”
“The mental health of our student-athletes is as important as their physical health,” Dr. Stafford said. “In fact, they are tied together. The MEAC is committed to ensuring that our student-athletes have the information and resources that they need to succeed and we look forward to the dialogue with them.”
Throughout the month of May, the MEAC plans to promote mental health wellness to student-athletes and fans by engaging in dialogue and supplying a channel of networks and resources, with efforts shared on the conference’s digital platforms – including MEACSports.com and the MEAC’s social media channels.
Part of that engagement includes Ask Dr. Stafford, which will feature videos of Dr. Stafford answering questions submitted by student-athletes and the greater MEAC community.
The MEAC will also post Fun Friday segments each week to Instagram Stories (@meacsports), which will comprise of educational quizzes and facts about mental health.
In addition, hotlines, tips and on-campus resource locations will be made available throughout the month.
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 51st year of intercollegiate competition with the 2021-22 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically Black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.