May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Increasing access to mental health resources is critical if we want to maintain thriving and healthy communities. We recognize that Washoe County is facing a mental health crisis. Our community is grappling with the impact of mental health on vulnerable populations, including youth, first responders, military personnel, the unhoused, and those in the criminal justice system.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 474,000 adults in Nevada live with a mental illness. The pandemic has worsened the situation, with 41.4% of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression in February 2021. Compounding the problem, 25.1% of Nevadans did not receive the counseling or treatment they needed.
These numbers highlight the need to implement several important strategies to improve the mental health of our entire community.
We must continue to build and strengthen public-private partnerships to increase mental health efforts through education and awareness programs. These types of collaborative efforts are essential to equip our young citizens with the skills they need to lead healthy lives. Expand community outreach campaigns that teach coping, stress management, and emotion regulation skills. Learning the signs and providing resources are key components to improving mental health in our communities.
The Nevada Peer Support Network provides mental health services to first responders, military personnel and hospital care professionals. They focus on the importance of building resilience and living a healthy life by teaching stress management, time management and relaxation techniques. Creating ways to learn to stop and recharge is key.
Foster peer-led initiatives where people can connect and share experiences. Encourage youth to support their peers through positive feedback and interactions. Together we can find strength through empathy, understanding, and hope.
Expanding community access to helplines and hotlines for immediate emotional support and creating safe spaces where people can get information, counseling, and peer support can improve community mental health. It’s essential.
Early intervention and providing appropriate support at work, school, health care settings, and arranging access to mental health professionals is key. We need to promote a supportive environment and provide accessible resources to address mental health before it becomes a crisis.
In Washoe County, we must prioritize mental health to build healthier, more resilient communities.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Darin Balam is the Washoe County Sheriff. Paul Anderson represents District 3 on Sparks City Council.
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