Every Southeast Missouri child and family deserves access to quality behavioral health care. Yet, as is true for much of our state, access is severely lacking. And when we shy away from talking openly, honestly and relentlessly about mental health issues, we compound the problem – by not understanding how significantly those issues impact us and everyone around us.
This community feels the impact of mental health issues every day through employee absenteeism, lost productivity or wages, unemployment, dropping out of school or poor performance, higher health costs, higher crime rates, arrests, incarceration, overdoses and death.
Challenges to day-to-day living can come suddenly. A family death, divorce, job stress or violence can send our minds and our mental health reeling. If there is a history of mental health issues in our family, our risk is significantly greater. And there’s no age limit. Current statistics show one in five Missouri children has a diagnosed behavioral health issue.
Yet, too often we hide from the truth, pushing aside feelings of depression, anger or extreme sadness for years, even decades. If you or your child had a broken bone, you wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to get medical help, because you know if you don’t the situation will only worsen or the bone won’t heal properly. The outcomes for unattended mental health issues are the same.
Stigma also prevents us from taking action. Our society has long marked those struggling with mental health issues as somehow weak. And we further stigmatize ourselves when we cannot overcome challenges alone, or we label ourselves as bad parents if our child is struggling. Great Circle, the behavioral health nonprofit I proudly lead, fights against that stigma every day.
In November 2017, we merged with Ozark Family Resource Agency, a local behavioral health organization helping area families. Having already developed high-quality programs that help nearly 40,000 people each year across Missouri, Great Circle has expanded on OFRA’s efforts. In November in Poplar Bluff, we opened Southeast Missouri’s only emergency shelter exclusively for youth. It provides temporary safe haven for children removed from the home because of abuse or legal issues, as well as housing for children whose families are experiencing short-term emergencies, such as a parent hospitalization or housing concern, and need a little support to re-stabilize the family.
At Great Circle, we emphasize “normalizing” the conversation around mental health as the best way to dispel the stigma and encourage families to seek help and support before a crisis hits.
It’s why we hosted the “Listening With Purpose” roundtable in Poplar Bluff on April 5 with about 50 area community thought leaders. Elected officials, hospital administrators, medical and behavioral health providers, first responders, and representatives from courts, children’s agencies, law enforcement, schools and churches engaged in earnest, honest conversation about the area’s needs. It was a good start, but the conversation needs to continue.
Great Circle believes that partnering with these existing resources and organizations is the best way to improve access to quality behavioral health care and strengthen families and communities throughout southeast Missouri. We stand ready to help fill the gaps in service that currently exist. And we are always ready to listen. How can we help you?
_____
Vince Hillyer is president and chief executive officer of Great Circle, having led the statewide nonprofit through several mergers and program expansions to make it one of Missouri’s largest providers of behavioral health services.