Action Area : Awareness of Services and Community Education
In many communities , awareness of services and the “ first number to call ” present significant challenges .
Nationally , as many as 60 % of people who need behavioral health services do not receive care . 4 Among those not receiving care , a lack of awareness of where to get services is among the most common barriers . 5
Awareness of services and community education help community members know that a particular healthrelated issue may require treatment or additional insight from a third-party . This would include knowledge of where to get treatment or additional insight from a third-party , if needed . Many research participants stated that individuals who need help throughout the community don ’ t know where to start , including those who may work in healthcare . Individuals frequently stated that Polk County needs one central location that can provide up-to-date resources for a variety of needs , specifically behavioral health and substance use services .
In order to make a centralized system useful to the broad community , interviewees and others stressed the need to communicate in a location and using a media commonly used by community members who may be in need . Commonly suggested channels include public libraries , public transit hubs , churches , shelters , hospital Emergency Departments , and primary care offices , social service provider agencies , and others .
Others feel that schools can be a hub of trusted information and care for youth . By creating awareness of mental wellness and providing programming to decrease stigma , students benefit , but they can also bring the knowledge back to their families , encourage early intervention , and reduce the prevalence of the cyclical nature of the by-products of the diseases .
• “ Sometimes you ' re so close to the problem , you don ' t know where to begin and become paralyzed . Awareness and navigation are issues , even for people with means and knowledge . Most people don ' t know where to start .”
• “ We need to engage the entire community , community leaders , faith leaders , etc .”
• “ A regular liaison between healthcare provider and community groups – it can ' t be one and done , rather it has to be constant .”
• “ 2-1-1 isn ' t as good as it used to be because people don ' t update it . It moved to Orlando .” Examples of Potential Interventions for Stage 3
• Identify and fund an organization that can interact with a broad spectrum of Polk County providers and populate a database of resources and associated key information needed by users – community members , providers , funders , and others .
• Expand Trauma Informed Care training to first responders and others co-located at intervention points ( i . e ., places at which new behavioral health patients may first seek information or care ).
• Adopt a Public Resource Platform such as Enhanced 211 , Polk FORWARD ©, or FindHelp . org
4
Rowan , K ., McAlpine , D . D ., & Blewett , L . A . ( 2013 ). Access and cost barriers to mental health care , by insurance status , 1999-2010 . Health affairs ( Project Hope ), 32 ( 10 ), 1723 – 1730 . https :// doi . org / 10.1377 / hlthaff . 2013.0133
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