Breaking Through Task Force has made additional Mental Health & Wellness Resources available in Dare County Libraries – OBX Today

Breaking Through Task Force has made additional Mental Health & Wellness Resources available in Dare County Libraries - OBX Today
Meaghan Leenaarts Beasley (left), Dare County Libraries, and Kelly Nettnin Fleming (right), Breaking Through Task Force, showcasing the new mental health and wellness display in the Manteo library. (Submitted)

In an effort to provide more mental health resources to Dare County residents, the Breaking Through Task Force recently partnered with Dare County Libraries to create a collection of nearly 40 well-vetted book titles that focus on mental health and wellness topics. These book titles, now available at each of the county’s three library branches, were thoughtfully selected and purchased with task force funds so that residents could easily access self help and educational books related to mental health and wellbeing. 

“This was a common sense way to increase access to mental health resources for Dare County residents,” commented Kelly Nettnin Fleming, Breaking Through Task Force Co-Chair and Health Education & Outreach Supervisor with Dare County Department of Health & Human Services. “We believe these books can promote mental wellness by providing practical tools, encouraging self-reflection, offering guidance and support, promoting self-empowerment, and inspiring hope and motivation.” 

During the selection process, the Breaking Through Task Force sought suggestions and feedback from its members as well as local mental health and addictions counselors to ensure meaningful and appropriate book titles were selected. Once a list of titles was finalized, each library received a copy of each book selected.  Now available to the public, the initiative went live in Dare County libraries during May of 2024, which also marked Mental Health Awareness Month.

Dare County Librarian Meaghan Leenaarts Beasley said that the libraries are very honored to be a part of making this initiative happen for the Breaking Through Task Force. “We, of course, always want to offer the most important and necessary information that our community needs,” said Beasley. “By adding this curated collection of mental health and wellness titles to our shelves, we are able to provide a deeper offering while also having the support of the Breaking Through Task Force for those whose needs go beyond the page.”

A search in the library catalog at www.earlibrary.org using the terms ‘breaking through,’ ‘breaking task force,’ ‘dhhs,’ and ‘mental health’ will bring the collection of titles up for viewing. Each book has a bookplate inside the front cover, noting the donation, and a display of the titles can easily be found at each library. 

The work of the Breaking Through Task Force is supported in part by a Community Benefit Grant from Outer Banks Health. For more information on the task force, please visit www.BreakTheStigmaOBX.com or call 252.475.5036.