POUGHKEEPSIE – Partners in government,
law enforcement, healthcare, and community-based organizations have jointly
formed a workgroup in an effort to reduce stigma associated with mental
illness, which often stops people from seeking or offering help in the
seven-county Hudson Valley region. On Thursday, the workgroup, organized
by the non-profit HealthlinkNY, began its collaborative effort.
The first step is developing a Mental Health Tool Kit to help professionals
and community members identify, understand, and reach out to people experiencing
signs of mental health illness or substance use disorders.
One critical fact, noted by the World Health Organization, is that people
diagnosed with severe mental illness have a significantly reduced life
expectancy, by 10 to 25 years.
It is a “community-wide issue,” according to Philip Ginter,
director of Community Initiatives at HealthlinkNY.
“Want to remove the stigma associated with offering or seeking help
for substance use disorders and mental illness,” said Ginter. “It’s
been pointed out stigma is the single greatest barrier to seeking or offering
help.”
Ginter (podium) is joined by participants in the new initiative
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro agreed.
“We as individuals need to look internally and accept that behavioral
health is the same as physical health, is the same as community health,
and that if we don’t’ confront that in our own selves, it
is that much more difficult and nearly impossible for the individual living
with significant mental health issues to wish, to desire, and be able
to access the service and support that they need,” Molinaro said.
Law enforcement has been a lead agency in detecting people who need help.
Families, peers, schools, also have a role to play.
Ginter said he hopes the workgroup can finish its work on the Mental Health
Toolkit in perhaps a year.
