City of Philadelphia
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Bennett of The NEW 96.5 has been very open about his struggles with anxiety since childhood, the importance on speaking out about mental health, and resources that are available for those in need.
The 988 Crisis Lifeline has been a game changer for Philadelphian’s or loved ones experiencing mental health crises, and the 988 Lifeline can help those in need and how “it’s ok to not be ok.”
Last fall, Ayanna Abdul-Ali called 988. She had been feeling… not quite like herself for years but had put off talking to anyone professional because she was ashamed. She thought she could get through living a life full of unhealthy patterns and suicidal ideation by herself.
After the relief she felt after calling 988, she spoke to her mother who helped to get her assessed by a psychologist and a psychiatrist who worked together to diagnose her with depression. She was also put on anxiety medication. Her mother, Monava Jones, works for the City’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS), and had mental health and 988 materials and merchandise around the home; as well as always talking about it, so Ayanna was familiar.