Ocean City Focuses on Mental Health in New Communitywide Alliance

Dating back to his first year in office in 2010, Mayor Jay Gillian had always hoped for Ocean City to have a communitywide program focusing on mental health wellness.

“It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do during my whole time as mayor,” he said.

Now, Gillian’s goal has been achieved with the city teaming up with the Ocean City Free Public Library and other partners for a new initiative called the Ocean City Community Wellness Alliance.

“By focusing on mental health awareness and support, along with fostering a culture of total wellness, we hope to empower individuals with the tools to lead balanced and fulfilling lives while strengthening the overall health of our town,” Gillian said.

The program will be officially rolled out to the public on Sunday, May 4, with a Community Wellness Day from 1 to 4 p.m. It will be held at the Ocean City Free Public Library and the Ocean City Community Center, at 1735 Simpson Avenue. The public is invited.

There will be a variety of events and programs at Community Wellness Day, including wellness counselors from Ocean City High School to discuss programs for students. The student group OC Minds Matter will also be there.

Activities will include free yoga, live music, Reiki demonstrations, blood pressure screenings, smoothie and healthy snack demonstrations and tastings, and discussions on mental health and other wellness topics.

Vince Lee, conductor of the Ocean City Pops, the local orchestra, will be joined by other musicians to provide musical entertainment.

The Ocean City Community Wellness Alliance is partnering with the Ocean City Healthy Living Advisory Council, the Ocean City High School Wellness Team and other local health and wellness advocates to present the event.

“Its mission is committed to enhancing the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of the Ocean City community. We strive to build partnerships with local organizations, businesses and community leaders to provide accessible resources, education and events to promote health,” Gillian said of the alliance.

    The Community Wellness Day flyer describes all of the activities and programs planned on May 4.
  

Jennifer Shirk, president of the Ocean City Library Board of Trustees, said that, similar to the mayor, mental health and wellness issues have been on her mind “for quite some time.”

During Shirk’s time with the Ocean City Education Foundation, she helped the organization raise money for mental health initiatives in the schools for the students, she noted.

“As the mayor and I continued to talk, we realized that to make a real lasting impact, we needed to expand these efforts to the entire community,” Shirk said while describing the mission of the Ocean City Community Wellness Alliance.

The announcement about the Ocean City Community Wellness Alliance coincides with May’s designation as Mental Health Awareness Month, Shirk noted.

“As our mission states, this effort is truly about education and awareness,” she said about the alliance during remarks to City Council at a meeting on April 24.

“We’re not trying to act as therapists or minimize the experiences of those who suffer from serious mental health conditions or even trauma. We do recognize, however, there is a national mental health crisis that’s been growing, and COVID only brought it further to the forefront,’ Shirk added.

Gillian said that mental health is something that “hits everybody.”

“Nobody knows what’s going on inside, what people go through with families or addictions or whatever happens,” he said of the mental health struggles experienced by so many people.

    Library Director Karen Mahar is "thrilled" to bring in the Ocean City Community Wellness Alliance as a partner with the library.
  

Ocean City Library Director Karen Mahar explained that the Community Wellness Alliance will expand on some of the mental and physical health initiatives that the library has already been doing.

“We do a plethora already of wellness events, but we’re thrilled to bring in community partners as well,” Mahar told City Council.

Kathy Quinn, chairwoman of the Ocean City Healthy Living Advisory Council, noted that the Community Wellness Alliance will also complement some of the efforts of the advisory council, including its education programs at the library.

“We focus on holistic wellness,” Quinn said. “Recognizing that wellness is achieved when all aspects of your health are in balance. Mental health is relying on all aspects of health.”