Regional West Recognizes Mental Health Awareness Month

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ― Regional West encourages people to reduce stigma, have open conversations, and care for their mental well-being during Mental Health Awareness Month in May. 

Mental Health Awareness Month was first celebrated in 1949 by Mental Health America, an organization dedicated to educating Americans about mental illnesses and reducing barriers to treatment and services. Since then, the psychiatry and behavioral health field has grown and helped millions of patients find solutions to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. This year’s theme is “More Good Days, Together.”

According to Mental Health America, nearly one in five Americans will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year. However, around 55% of adults with mental illness do not receive treatment. Rami Zanoun, MD, medical director of Regional West’s Psychiatry & Behavioral Health programs, emphasized the importance of treating others with grace and kindness while encouraging people to seek help if they need it. 

“With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to take this opportunity to let our community know that our team at Regional West is here to help. We pride ourselves in delivering patient-centered and evidence-based psychiatric care with the utmost empathy and professionalism,” said Zanoun. “My wish this May is that we all make mental health a priority by being kind to each other.” 

Regional West Physicians Clinic-Psychiatry & Behavioral Health physician Joe Angel Espinoza Jr, MD, added that he and his team are dedicated to expanding treatment options. The clinic now offers Spravato, a prescription nasal spray for adults with treatment-resistant depression. 

“This treatment is part of our ongoing commitment to bring new forms of evidence-based psychiatric care to the community,” he said. “Our team is dedicated to supporting individuals in need of mental health care. As this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month theme emphasizes, we want to help members of the community have more good days, together.”

Regional West Physicians Clinic-Psychiatry and Behavioral Health serves patients of all ages, offering medication management for a variety of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Our team of physicians and providers offers in-person and telehealth services, working closely with each patient to develop comprehensive and individualized treatment plans. 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, our clinic is open until 7 p.m. To schedule your appointment, call 308-635-3888.

About Regional West

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Nebraska is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, the only advanced trauma hospital in Nebraska west of North Platte. Since 1924, Regional West has served the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming through innovative healthcare services. As the region’s sole tertiary medical center, Regional West offers an expansive array of medical specialties and numerous physician clinics.