Mental and behavioral health were the focus of Monday’s day-long summit.
“I think we have a lot of work that we can do. There are still a lot of individuals suffering in silence. And it is an issue that affects all communities, all backgrounds, all zip codes,” said Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long.
Lawmakers, healthcare workers, and community advocates are calling for a greater focus on behavioral healthcare in the state, and across the nation.
Anxiety, depression, and addiction are among the most prevalent mental and behavioral health issues facing the nation - and there is no single cause or solution to address them.
So the summit brought together people from a variety of sectors, including education, the workforce, healthcare, housing, and the government to examine how they can work together.
Former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy says there is a lot to gain from this approach.
“There are certain advantages in these small states to be able to build models of care you really can't do in other states. That includes a holistic model of therapy, that includes housing, human services, job support, as well as medicine and integrated healthcare.”
Kennedy and others emphasized communication and action are both needed to address mental and behavioral health.
“Let’s make a pledge today that we aren’t just going to talk about it, we’re going to do it,” said Bernice Edwards, Executive Director of First State Community Action Agency. She says summits are helpful, but more work must be done in communities.
This includes speaking to individuals experiencing mental and behavioral health disorders to help uncover patterns and create more targeted solutions. But that requires a level of trust and mental health literacy advocates say is not prevalent.
They add to help address the root causes of the issues plaguing the state, destigmatizing mental health needs to be a priority - along with giving more Delawareans the language required to properly address their needs.
