NEW ORLEANS (press release) – May marks Mental Health Awareness Month and University Medical Center (UMC) New Orleans shares it is actively working to highlight the importance of proactive mental health care, dismantle the long-standing stigma surrounding behavioral health challenges and ensure the community is well-informed about the comprehensive resources available to them.
On National Trauma Survivors Day on May 21, the UMC Seeds of NOLA Trauma Recovery Center team will host an event in the hospital’s courtyard to honor, draw inspiration from and support trauma survivors and those that care for them in and out of the hospital. Celebrated annually on the third Wednesday in May, National Trauma Survivors Day challenges the concept that recovery is a process that must be tackled alone.
“National Trauma Survivors Day is a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of those who have endured unimaginable challenges, as well as the healing that happens in community,” said Dr. Erika Rajo, director of UMC Trauma Psychology Services in a release about the events. “Across our entire institution, from emergency care to long-term support, we are committed to standing with survivors and the people who care for them, ensuring no one has to navigate trauma recovery alone.”
As the city’s sole Level 1 Trauma Center and essential safety net hospital, UMC plays a critical role in caring for individuals’ mental health. In 2024, UMC’s Emergency Department provided care for 5,332 behavioral health patients and admitted 2,273 patients to their behavioral health unit. By actively raising awareness and providing these crucial services, UMC is not only treating immediate crises but also fostering a culture of understanding and support for mental well-being throughout New Orleans.
The Seeds of NOLA Trauma Recovery Center at UMC stands as a beacon of hope and healing for individuals whose lives have been fractured by traumatic injury and violent crime. Rooted in principles of health equity and social justice, the center offers comprehensive, wraparound services to survivors aged 13 and older, as well as their families and loved ones experiencing trauma. Their dedicated multidisciplinary team, comprised of case managers, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and violence intervention specialists, employs a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach to provide vital support. These services include individual and family psychotherapy, support groups, psychiatric medication management, case management, legal assistance and violence prevention and intervention programs, all aimed at fostering both mental and physical recovery and connecting individuals with essential community resources.
Last year, UMC also launched a new mental health awareness campaign called Vital Signs with local radio personality and entrepreneur Wayne “Wild Wayne” Benjamin, Jr. Designed to shed light on critical health issues affecting the New Orleans community, the campaign focuses on topics such as stress, trauma, depression, generational trauma, grief management and holiday stress. Vital Signs includes content aimed at reducing the stigma around mental health in communities of color, providing specific resources and tools to help families address and break the cycles of generational trauma. This content can be viewed on UMC’s YouTube Channel here.
