More mental health resources needed on the Palouse
In the state, in the community and at the University of Idaho, a limited number of mental health resources does not meet the growing demand for these services.
For many, symptoms of mental illness can begin to show in early adulthood.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 75 percent of lifetime mental health illnesses begin by age 24 and more than one in four adults between 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness. Yet many go undiagnosed and untreated.
According to Sharon Fritz, a licensed psychologist at the Counseling and Testing Center, 10 percent of UI’s student population reported they have seriously considered suicide.
On the Palouse and across the state, mental health resources need increased funding and further community support.
Statewide funding was reduced in the early 2000s and again in 2009 after the financial crisis. This year, the Idaho Legislature took a step toward expanding mental health resources by providing $1.72 million to open a crisis center in Coeur d’Alene, and while the effort is appreciated and necessary, crisis centers are merely a temporary fix for the growing mental health crisis.
Crisis centers, while valuable, serve only to help a person who is posing a threat to themselves or others, but do not provide the everyday diagnosis and preventative treatment needed to avoid crisis in the first place.
Further efforts to provide more funding and additional resources for mental healthcare should be supported, and resources should be available in every region of Idaho, even if it means increasing state taxes to fund these essential state-provided services.
If more people are able to access help, it lessens the burden on other city resources, such as the police department.
As a student, it’s normal to experience stress, but if it is constant and interferes with your daily activities, reach out for help and find ways to relieve it.
Joining a club or playing an intramural sport are good ways to reduce stress.
But if changing the simple things doesn’t make an impact, don’t be afraid to ask for further help.
In a time where more people need help with mental health and resources are not able to meet the demand, students should take advantage of the free and confidential resources offered on campus.
The Counseling and Testing Center has a 24-hour crisis line and offers various types of counseling appointments.
Faculty and staff should utilize the training and presentation options offered through the counseling center. There are several training sessions and an option to have the center do a presentation instead of cancelling class when an instructor isn’t available.
These resources should be more widely used to help expand awareness to faculty, staff and students.
It’s positive to know mental health issues are becoming a topic of conversation and not something swept under a rug.
The more we talk about it, the more the community will understand, and those suffering from mental health issues may realize they are not alone. It’s now up to state leaders to provide Idaho citizens with the resources they deserve and need.
— KH