MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES
ARE IMPORTANT I n
D e n t o n
C o u n t y
struggles due to the risks of contracting
COVID-19. Thankfully, CARES Act funding allowed MHMR to receive funds as part of Operation: Connecting Lives to
purchase iPads to assist in connecting
with the elderly population, especially
those in nursing homes who have been especially isolated.
United Way of Denton County is another organization that has been on the
frontlines serving our residents in many ways including mental health. UWDC leads the Denton County Behavioral
Health Leadership Team, which advocates and facilitates for a collaborative personcentered behavioral health system to repair and restore lives.
Interested residents can attend a
free-8-hour course on adult mental by Denton County Judge Andy Eads photo courtesy of Judge Andy Eads
health first aid to equip them with a
five-step action plan to respond and refer an adult who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.
O
ctober is National Mental Health Month, which provides the perfect backdrop to stop and assess exactly, “How are you doing?” As stressful as life is normally, COVID-19 has magnified stressors in everyone’s life and pushed the boundaries of our mental health.
Another population in Denton County
Statistically, Americans rank high in the realm of mental health issues. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 26.3 percent of adults 18-25 suffered from a mental health issue in 2018. During 2009-2017, adults 18-25 suffering from major depression increased 63 percent. The senior population (55 and above) in the U.S. is estimated to have 20 percent of the demographic struggling with a variety of mental health issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 40 million adults, around 18.1 percent of the U.S. population, suffer with chronic anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
The U.S. spent $187.8 billion on mental
Incarceration provides a plethora of
abuse disorders in 2013. An estimated
still being among a constant population.
treatments alone, according to a
this population and keep them healthy.
who has a great need for mental health
assistance is our inmates, juveniles, and the public in crisis situations.
health conditions and substance
restrictions, rules, and even isolation while
$70 billion was spent on depression
Our County recognizes the need to serve
SingleCare report.
Denton County has spent over $1.3 million
These statistics remind us that many of
to provide mental health assistance for
struggling with mental health, suffering
a mental health crisis through the Sheriff’s
the added pressures of life due to the
and the Denton County Public Health’s
our neighbors in Denton County are
our inmates and the public experiencing
in silence at an even deeper level with
Office Mental Health Investigative Unit
ongoing pandemic.
Jail Health Program.
Denton County’s MHMR has reported a
During this month of mental health
elderly population since the onset of the
these initiatives and assist each other
true struggle to remain connected to their
awareness, let’s do our part to continue
pandemic. People are not coming out to
in ensuring mental health services are
seek assistance with their mental health
available to all in need.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you at andy.eads@dentoncounty.com or 940.349.2820 For more information, register for my newsletter at www.Dentoncounty.gov/countyjudgenewslettersignup. www.35WestMagazine.com
OCTOBER 2020 | 35 WEST | 29
