Imagine being one of approximately 72 million persons in the United States with mental illness according to the 2021 National Institute of Mental Health – 57.8 million adults (age 18 and older) and 14.1 million youth (age 6 to 18).
Imagine the struggle or inability to function in home life, job or personal relationships. Imagine the shame and fear of your family to realize you or a family member has a mental illness and not knowing what to do about it until it is too late. Imagine the stigma associated with mental illness conditions and the way people treat you and your family in your time of desperation and need.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize mental illness exists and the need for empathy and action to help those in need. Professionals acknowledge that brain chemistry imbalance may be due to heredity, excessive stress or substance abuse.
In 2014, the Idaho Legislature created regional Behavioral Health Boards, one for each of Idaho’s 7 regions. Behavioral Health (BH) focuses on mental illness, substance use disorders, or both called dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder. In 2015, the legislature funded Crisis and Recovery Center development, which has been a huge help for those in distress and recovery. Collaboration between the state, providers and consumers provides people with an avenue to have their voices heard and is extremely important.
The Idaho prison system has been the de facto treatment facility, but things are changing for better assessment and treatment of Behavioral Health conditions. Idaho’s prison system with approximately 9,200 incarcerated adult clients and 16,000 on supervised probation or parole has about 35% with diagnosed and treated mental illness and about 85% substance use as a factor in their criminality. One big factor in treating BH has been the passage of Medicaid Expansion which helps the working poor in our state and makes available healthcare, counseling and treatment for prisoners upon release from prison where most are at the poverty level. The topic of mental illness is far-reaching and complex, considering the degree of severity for individuals.
Another sad statistic is Idaho suicide. In 2020, 418 people completed suicide, which includes adults and youth. In 2020, Region 2 (Latah, Nezperce, Clearwater, Idaho and Lewis counties) had the highest per capita suicide rate in the state as rural areas have fewer BH services available for mental illness intervention.
People with mental illness can recover and resume normal activities. The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent. In cases where violence does occur, the incidences typically result from feeling threatened or excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs.
We are making progress in improving Behavioral Health in Idaho through funding recommendations for the governor and approved by the legislature. Idaho still has a long way to go in our rural state to address those in need of mental illness and substance abuse disorder treatment. Imagine our society treating adults, children, elderly, veterans and more with mental illness with dignity, respect and compassion. These are things to consider during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Jim Rehder is chair of the Region 2 Behavioral Health Board.
