Good mental health means feeling capable and competent; being able to handle normal levels of stress, maintain satisfying relationships, and lead an independent life; and being able to "bounce back" or recover from difficult situations.
Mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in our thoughts and/or behavior, resulting in an inability to cope with life's ordinary demands and routines. Mental illnesses may be caused by a reaction to environmental stresses, genetic factors, biochemical imbalances. or a combination of these.
The Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier, Inc., (MHAST) is dedicated to enhancing the lives of all community residents by improving the quality of their mental health and wellness through advocacy, education, prevention, referral, and other services.
MHAST is a nonprofit organization founded in 1927 and is the oldest continuously operating MHA in New York State. The MHA is a United Way agency and an affiliate of the National and New York State Mental Health Association.
Cast from the shackles and chains that once restrained people in psychiatric hospitals, the bell is a dramatic representation of hope, vision and liberty for people with mental illnesses in our country.