Behavioral Health and Substance Use – Welcome to Healthy Iowa County

Why is Behavioral Health and Substance Use Prevention a priority area?

Mental illnesses are real and treatable health conditions that affect people of all walks of life. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness. However, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that only 45% of these people receive the treatment they need. In addition, as many as 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the U.S. have a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder, but only about 20% of them ever receive care from a specialized mental health provider, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Facts:

Addiction/chemical dependency escalated during the pandemic.
Before the pandemic, there was a shortage of services and providers to address these needs, locally, statewide, and nationally.
The many lifestyle and societal changes that accompanied the pandemic – isolation, loss of jobs, school closures, burn out compounded and dramatically increased the need for mental health and substance abuse services.
The Upland Hills Health Emergency Department reports an escalation in patients experiencing overdose and requiring detoxification.
The Department of Health & Human Services combined Grant and Iowa County statistics for mental health services. For these two counties together in 2020, the top 5 services used for mental health were:
- Crisis Intervention (205)
- Outpatient Counseling (179)
- Medication Management (18)
- Community Support Program (10)
- Case Management (5)
According to countyhealthrankings.org (2022):
- 27% of Iowa County residents report excessive drinking
- 19% of driving deaths were attributable to alcohol-impaired driving
- The ratio of mental health providers to residents is 1:1,310

Goal: Support the Mental Health Matters, Iowa County Coalition to improve communication, education, and implement programs to create a healthier Iowa County for all residents.

Objectives:

Create and maintain a coalition of Iowa County residents that work together to improve mental/behavioral health opportunities in Iowa County.
Increase awareness and education on mental/behavioral health needs of Iowa County residents to reduce the stigma associated with mental health.
Support efforts of agencies, organizations, and groups with a focus on improving mental/behavioral health in Iowa County.