2021, May 20. Macomb Daily
After Braylon Edwards’s NFL football career came to an end he was left with a whole lot of time on his hands.
“When you have all of this idle time that you’re not used to it allows depression to set in,” said Edwards, who is known for his standout career as a wide receiver for the University of Michigan and Cleveland Browns.
There are healthy ways to deal with it such as traveling, working out and spending time with the family said Edwards. But he was drawn into other things like partying that led to bouts of depression and struggles with addiction.
Now he’s busy helping to raise awareness and destigmatize mental health treatments through public appearances at events like the Judson Center’s Community Health Fair, May 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Warren.
“Having Braylon Edwards’ support at the Community Health Fair will help us to reduce the stigma of receiving mental health treatment and reinforce the message that the Judson Center is a safe space for nonjudgmental services to help people reach their personal goals to be happy and successful with their lives,” said Melissa Peters, an event organizer and director of behavioral health for the Judson Center.
Edwards is also the author of a new book, “Braylon Edwards: Doing It My Way: My Outspoken Life as a Michigan Wolverine, NFL Receiver, and Beyond,” which he said is not meant to sway public opinion with regards to his past behavior but a means of telling his side of the stories.
Edwards will be in attendance from 2 to 3 p.m. and will be available for photos and a signed giveaway.
The Judson Center is a multi-county human service agency and designated Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), which despite the pandemic was able to provide life-changing services to more than 1,100 individuals.
“We offered both in-person and telehealth mental, emotional and behavioral health services last year,” Peters said. “Once patients felt comfortable with the online format, it truly proved to be a critical communication option for those experiencing mental health issues brought by the pandemic or just the challenges of daily life.”
Sunday’s event is geared to find out more and make the connections needed to move forward, whether it’s hearing Edward talk about his own experience or gathering more information. There will also be giveaways, healthy snacks, demos, health screenings and a variety of demonstrations by participating vendors and organizations. A walk-in COV ID-19 vaccine clinic will be offered onsite for youth ages 12 and up.
Edwards appearance is courtesy of The Sports Marketing Agency.
Other community participants and highlights include:
• The Salt & Sugar Co. Food Truck of Clawson will be selling natural and organic food options
• Judson Center Behavioral Health Services will provide information and giveaways
• Judson Center Family Health – primary care health screenings: blood pressure, body composition, pre-diabetes, diabetic nutrition, R-Team-pediatric and adolescent healthy living
• Judson Center AFPRR Program – foster parent recruitment and information
• Judson Center Autism Connections will feature a sensory fun-table
• MedNetOne Health Solutions
• MSU community information table, with information from MSU Extension on nutrition
• Early Head Start Macomb Community Action – information table
• Families Against Narcotics (FAN), Macomb County – NARCAN Training
• Harbor Oaks Hospital in New Baltimore – information table
• Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp.- Roseville
• Macomb County Community Mental Health – My Strength App
• Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) – Lead and environmental safety programs
• National Alliance on Mental Illness/Traffic Safety Association of Macomb
• Simple Movements, Clinton Township— therapeutic dance demos
• Transcendental Meditation of Troy
• Warren Fire Department
• Warren Seventh-Day Adventist Church – grief counseling, plant-based cooking information, chair massages
• Yoga Shelter in Grosse Pointe — yoga demonstrations
COVID-19 protocols, including masks and social distancing, will be practiced and enforced.
For more information, and to inquire about participating as a vendor, contact Irene Salem at 586-573-1882 or irene_salem@judsoncenter.org