First Lady Yumi Hogan to Serve as Honorary Chair of the 2016 Children’s Mental Health Matters! Campaign

“Celebrating Through Art: The First Lady’s Mental Health Awareness Youth Art Display”

ANNAPOLIS, MD – First Lady Yumi Hogan will serve as the honorary chair of the Children’s Mental Health Matters! Campaign and host a youth art display in the Lowe House Office Building on Monday, May 2, 2016. The art display will be held in conjunction with the state of Maryland’s recognition of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week from May 1st through 7th, 2016.

“Mental Health is a vital part of our children’s overall health and development. As honorary chair, I am very pleased to be a part of this meaningful campaign and raise awareness for children’s mental health through the arts,” said First Lady Yumi Hogan, an accomplished artist and an adjunct professor at Maryland Institute College of Art. “The use of art as a healing tool for children’s mental health is really critical for their success every day and later in adult life.”

The Maryland Department of Disabilities, Mental Health Association of Maryland, Maryland Coalition of Families, Maryland State Department of Education, and Center for School Mental Health have partnered on this initiative to bring attention to the need for unified and aligned strategies when addressing children's mental health needs in our state. In recognition of the importance of mental health awareness and the expressive power of artistic pursuits, youth were invited to participate in a statewide art project to celebrate Children's Mental Health Awareness Week. They were asked to express something that makes them feel mentally happy, healthy, and/or hopeful in their art works.

The opening reception for the First Lady's Mental Health Awareness Youth Art Display will be held as following:

When: Monday, May 2, 2016 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM (EDT)

Where: Lowe House Office Building, 6 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401

The Lowe House Office Building is located at 6 Bladen Street in Annapolis. The display is on the first floor and the building is open to the public. For more information on the Children's Mental Health Matters! Campaign, please visit http://www.childrensmentalhealthmatters.org/.