Face-To-Face Care, Town By Town

Westport, Weston, and Wilton offer mental health services

According to the World Health Organization, the pandemic led to a sharp increase of anxiety and depression worldwide. The response needs to be equal in measure. Westport, Weston, and Wilton have joined into a partnership to offer a Counseling Assistance Program aimed at low-income and under-insured residents.

From a CT Insider article, the three towns could be one of the first in the state to join forces for mental health resources. Quoted is Elaine Daignault, Westport’s human services director who said that “Locally, human services departments have experienced an influx of inquiries from residents seeking mental health support services with long waitlists and other barriers preventing clients from pursuing treatment.”

This is unfortunately not a Connecticut specific issue. Across the United States there is a mental health care professional shortage that is causing these long waiting times for issues that often need immediate attention. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the country will be short between 14,000 and 30,000 mental health professionals.

These conditions are in part what led to this groundbreaking regional initiative. Funded in part by American Rescue Plan Funds, it will also allow the three communities to extend the use of their resources and expand services according to info in the Insider article.

Part of the agreement is a partnership with a local mental health organization, Positive Directions, who will facilitate referrals. Per the Insider article, people or families can often expect to get an appointment within a week of calling.

Positive Directions was founded just over 50 years ago in Westport as a volunteer organization according to their website. They began by help- ing those in recovery from alcohol addiction, and over time broadening their reach to helping folks struggling with mental health, problem gambling and other addictions.

While conditions have improved since the worst part of the pandemic, things are still dire for people who cannot access “faceto-face care” according to the World Health Organization. And convincing more folks to focus in psychiatry is only one facet of the issue per the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Until then, it’ll be up to communities to support their residents in any way they can. The partnership between Westport, Weston and Wilton is an important step in understanding the severity of the problem. By partnering up for a regional solution, with trusted leaders like the Positive Directors organization, they have shown they are taking the matter seriously.