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Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949, reaching millions of people in the United States through the media, local events, and screenings. Today, as the world is dealing with the pandemic consequences, mental health support is more crucial than ever. In Lithuania, where such issues have been overlooked for years, any tips and tools are indispensable.
Darius Shubert who spent his summer of 2018 in Lithuania with Bring Together Lithuania program, initiated and sponsored by the Kazickas Family Foundation, providing Lithuanian diaspora youth with an opportunity to acquire professional skills, meet global Lithuanians and explore Lithuania, did his internship with the Lithuanian Ministry of Health to help develop an online mental health platform designed to be free and accessible to the public. In April of 2020 a major milestone was reached and such platform "Pagalba sau" ("Help Yourself") was finally completed and launched by the government. During this isolation and lockdown, it became more important than ever.
Darius Shubert, a student at University of California, currently working on his B.S. degree in Virology, shares his pride in work accomplished during the summer internship in Lithuania:
"While the issue of mental health is vastly overlooked in the United States, it does not begin to compare to its status in Lithuania. There, it is disdained and stigmatized to an extent that nearly no one recognizes it or acknowledges it beyond scorning and shunning those affected. The project was undertaken in response to critical levels of suicides and alcoholism in the country. This platform is designed to give service to anyone and everyone who needs it at no cost. It centralizes all mental health resources available in Lithuania, provides tools and counseling, establishes mobile applications to track and self help, and most importantly validates every person who is suffering and afraid to say it. I hope that at this time these resources have the potential to save lives in my country. It is only a step, but may it be a door to a brighter future in Lithuania."
"Pagalba sau" provides important information about mental health in Lithuanian and offers help during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond to individuals of all ages, in different situations, medical staff, teachers, social workers and everyone else.