CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — First responders, combat veterans and their families gathered in Chesterfield on Saturday to talk about something many of them struggle with in silence: their own mental health.
Operation Yellow Tape held a mental health masterclass at the Beulah Rec Center in Chesterfield. The event brought together speakers to help break down the stigma that keeps many in the first responder community from asking for help.
Kenny Mitchell, the founder of Operation Yellow Tape, spent 20 years as a first responder before starting the organization five years ago. He said mental health is not just a first responder issue — it touches everyone.
“In our community, we’re talking about mental health; mental health is a community struggle, it’s not just a first responder thing,” Mitchell said…