Following the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to increased rates of anxiety, depression and substance use disorder in the United States and abroad, more Americans are prioritizing their mental health.
Spending on mental health services among Americans with private insurance rose by 53% since the start of the pandemic, according to a new study by the RAND Corporation and Castlight Health, with the use of mental health services increasing by 39%.
Currently, more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, per the CDC, with about one in 25 U.S. adults living with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression. Meanwhile, one in five children and adolescents has or will develop a mental illness in their lifetime.
While more people are seeking treatment, more than half of U.S. adults don’t receive treatment for mental illness, which can result in a poor quality of life, unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance use disorder, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration and suicide.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, South Texas Health System Behavioral is partnering with South Texas College to host a special panel discussion to address the current challenges surrounding mental health treatment and what still can be done to ensure people struggling with mental health challenges get the help they need.
Entitled “CommUNITY: Shattering the Stigma Surrounding Mental Health as a Community Through Education, Communication & Support,” the event will feature the participation of experts from various sectors, including healthcare, education, private industry, law enforcement and the judicial system. They will discuss advancements in the Rio Grande Valley when it comes to providing mental health services for those struggling while helping community members understand what we can do as a community to ensure everyone, regardless of age, gets the education, support and access to mental health services they need.
It’s important to break the stigma surrounding mental health to ensure that individuals struggling get the help they need, especially as more people are seeking treatment for mental health issues post-pandemic. It’s a hot button issue that has become a global public health priority. To increase mental health literacy and combat the fear and misunderstand that often leads to prejudice against people with mental illness and addictions, it’s imperative that we unite as a community to provide education, communication and support to those experiencing mental health issues.
This panel discussion, taking place during Mental Health Awareness Month, will serve as a way to gauge where we stand when it comes to mental health services across various sectors in the Rio Grande Valley while assessing what still need to be done to ensure people get the help and support they need.
The free community event, which is open to the public, will include a community expo highlighting local mental health services and resources.
Held in the Student Union (Building U) at South Texas College’s main campus, located at 3201 Pecan Blvd., McAllen, TX 78501, the event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., on Thursday, May 21, 2024 with the panel discussion beginning promptly at 10:30 a.m.
Panelists include Nenci Garcia, LPC, Counseling Staff, Mission Consolidated Independent School District; Lupita Treviño, Regional Market Manager, CIGNA; and Kevin Trussell, MSN, RN, Director of Nursing, South Texas Health System Behavioral. I will moderate the panel.
