Mental health is something that is close to my heart, personally, and to the mission of the PPMC. In addition to May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we鈥檝e experienced two years of a global pandemic 鈥� discussing and encouraging mental health awareness and support is at the forefront now more than ever.
- In the first year of the pandemic, anxiety and depression increased by 25% (WHO, 2022)
- Mental health issues were reported by employers 6 times more than before the pandemic (Molko, 2022)
- In one CDC report during the pandemic, 31% of people reported anxiety and depression and 11% reported serious thoughts of suicide in the past 30 days (Gordon, 2021)
- Only 32.7% of mental health care needed in Kansas can be met, due to a shortage of health professionals (KFF, 2021)
Even before the pandemic, mental health was identified as one of the top issues in the Greater Wichita Area through .
In 1973, design theorists Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber coined the term "wicked problem" to identify complex social challenges like mental health services. These 鈥渨icked problems鈥� in public service can only be addressed by sticking together. No one can do this work alone.
The good news is, we are making progress. The (MHSAC) announced some significant wins during the May 5th Community Update event.
- MHSAC hosted an en banc meeting with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County
- MHSAC became an official nonprofit and hired Executive Director Dawn Shepler
- Sedgwick County COMCARE was named a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, which improves access to care and better supports mental health care providers
- The City of Wichita鈥檚 Homelessness Taskforce is moving forward to support those in need of housing
- Local leaders are coming together to implement a progressive Workforce Committee that will address short- and long-term behavioral health workforce challenges and needs
The progress of the MHSAC, and the very creation of the organization, is an example of community leaders joining together to affect change. Like most challenges in life, perseverance and moving together is the only way to make progress.
Sources:
World Health Organization (WHO) (2 March 2022) COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. Retrieved from:
Molko, R. (1 Feb 2022) Forbes. Mental Health In A Post-Pandemic World. Retrieved from
Gordon, J. (9 April 2021) National Institute of Mental Health. One Year In: COVID-19 and Mental Health. Retrieved from
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) (30 Sept. 2021) Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas. Retrieved from