WYOMISSING, Pa. — To address the mental health crisis on college campuses, Penn State Berks will host the Alive! Mental Health Fair Thursday, April 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Perkins Student Center Plaza. This event is for Penn State Berks students, faculty and staff only.

According to their website, the Alive! Mental Health Fair is the most successful suicide prevention and education program on college campuses. They tour across the country bringing awareness to mental health and suicide prevention. Their various fun and interactive activities show participants the importance of being a mental health advocate on campus.

The Alive! Mental Health Fair at Penn State Berks will include representation from many different community organizations, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Berks Counseling Center, SAFE Berks, the LGBT Center of Reading, and others. Penn State Berks student clubs and organizations will also participate in the event.

The mental health fair is sponsored by the Penn State Berks Peer Health Educator program and the NAMI Penn State Berks Club, sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Berks County Chapter.

The Peer Health Educator program is a new initiative that allows students who are passionate about health and wellness to educate fellow students on various topics about physical, mental, emotional, and sexual health. Peer Health Educators are paid and students are required to take a course before applying to become a Peer Health Educator.

For more information, contact Autumn Fritz, adviser for the Penn State Berks Peer Health Educator Program and assistant director of community development, at AMR40@psu.edu.