Mental Health Matters celebrates current and future initiatives – The Republic News

In Mark Stewart’s role as president of the United Way of Bartholomew County, he has seen residents already struggling with the ongoing mental health crisis while trying to access much-needed resources such as housing.

They often don’t know where to start, which worsens their mental state.

So the agency that reaches about a third of the local population with its programs will launch a new website on June 1 called United We Help.

It’s one of several new initiatives to promote and support mental health announced Tuesday at the annual Mental Health Matters conference at The Commons in downtown Columbus in front of an estimated 300 people.

“Poor mental health is often reinforced when we can’t meet our basic needs,” Stewart said. It’s a tough place to be.

Local group Mental Health Matters is looking back on the past year and celebrating a number of new and emerging programs to improve the mental health of local residents. The timing of the meeting was intentional since May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.

A total of 26 percent of Bartholomew County residents have poor or poor mental health compared to 13 percent nationally, according to figures from Mental Health Matters leaders.

Mental Health Matters is a public health initiative to address and improve the mental health system for youth and adults in Bartholomew County, where an estimated 6 percent of the 83,000 residents live with serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder or bipolar disorder. another potentially debilitating test. And a full half of that 6 percent group is unaware of their illness, according to local estimates.

A total of 17 percent of the population has what is called a mild mental illness such as anxiety or depression.

Ten percent of children in Bartholomew County have mild mental illness, meaning mental health problems are severe enough to interfere with their functioning at home, school or in the community.

The working group works with almost every imaginable organization and organization from public services to the arts to help promote solutions that will be inclusive and equitable, while at the same time they promote the understanding that mental health is part of general health.

Cheryl Buffo, project leader for Mental Health Matters, told the crowd that she, like many others, is learning as she goes.

“This is another thing that really excited me: Serious mental illness is not preventable and not curable, but it is treatable, and that’s the key,” Buffo said. “So if we can help people get early intervention, treatment and support, people with serious mental illness can live healthy, well-functioning lives.”

Jim Bickel, president and CEO of Columbus Regional Health who donated $1.2 million for the work of Mental Health Matters, presented the hospital’s long-term and recent mental health success.

“Columbus County Life has been the only senior crisis center in our community for more than three decades — a time when many other centers were closing their doors,” Bickel said. “And most recently, Columbus Health Center was recognized as the top facility in the nation when it comes to patient and family satisfaction.”

That was followed by applause from the crowd.

Jim Roberts, superintendent of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., said a family engagement coordinator has been hired — and soon will be a partnership with the Cook Center to provide resources for parents through the parentguides.org website that will run through after a few weeks. .

He said it can help relieve some stress in families.

“I know (for some families), things get crazy one night and suddenly they’re looking for answers,” Roberts said. “They’re not sure where to find those answers, but parentguides.org has thousands of resources on how to gather information and find someone to contact — a live person you can talk to for information.”

Some local leaders spoke briefly about their recent successes and planned initiatives for the coming year. It was Mayor Mary Ferdon; Eric Frey, executive director of the Columbus city administration; Carl Lienhoop, Bartholomew County commissioner; Judge Jim Worton, Superior Court 1; and Suzanne Koesel, CEO, Centerstone of Indiana.

For more information

One can find resources, statistics and more at https://www.mhmbc.org/