More adults have mental health concerns. These Tarrant County groups are looking to help

The mental health of adults and youth across the country was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that one in five adults stated the pandemic had a significant effect on their mental health in 2020. The organization found that 4.9 million adults were not able to access care.

A coalition of mental health providers and advocacy organizations have worked over the years to improve access to care for Tarrant County residents. The Mental Health Connection launched the Recognize and Rise initiative in 2019 to alert the public of the resources available to them.

Experts say access to resources and care is still needed even after the height of the pandemic. There’s been an increase in severe child abuse and domestic violence, suicide ideation and more. Those in need have experienced long wait lists to services.

A shortage of employees working in the mental health field, like psychiatrists, started before the pandemic. Some mental health agencies struggled with finances.

Virginia Hoft, executive director of the Mental Health Connection, said many people may not want to discuss mental health because of the stigma.

“If we can start having a culture that talks about mental wellness in the same breath that it talks about physical wellness, then people will become more and more aware of how important it is to address,” Hoft said.

Mental Health Connection’s Recognize and Rise

Mental Health Connection was formed in response to the 1999 Wedgwood Baptist Church shooting. Larry Gene Ashbrook, who had an untreated mental health condition, interrupted a youth event at the Fort Worth church. There were 100 teens inside.

Ashbrook shot and killed seven people and injured seven others. He then fatally shot himself.

Mental Health Connection is comprised of over 40 organizations, including Lena Pope, the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Amphibian Stage and multiple school districts.

The coalition created the Recognize and Rise campaign with the help of funding from the Morris Foundation. The foundation is a supporter of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab. The campaign works to bring awareness to the public on trauma, adversity, resiliency and the impact of mental health.

The public can find several resources on the Recognize and Rise website, such as wellness exercises, videos to learn about suicide prevention and coping skills and check-up tools to understand if there is a possibility someone is stressed or has depression.

People can also receive a free journal to help with the healing process.

Mental health is physical health

Many physicians have patients do screenings that ask questions about their mental health. However, some patients may not want to admit concerns due to stigma.

Alerting your doctor to mental health concerns is important. Experts say mental health and physical health are connected.

“The brain is very powerful,” Dr. April Wiechmann said. “It is meant to react to the way that we feel, because the way that we feel and think about things in our environment is what keeps us alive.”

Wiechmann, a clinical neuropsychologist and associate professor at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, said many patients may avoid using words that describe their moods due to stigma and instead say they are tired or describe other physical symptoms.

“They won’t come out and say ‘I’m moderately depressed,’” Wiechmann said. “They’ll say ‘I’m lonely. I’m tired. I’m exhausted.”

People who are depressed or have another mental health issue may not do things to keep up with their physical health, such as regular doctor visits.

Wiechmann said it is important for people to know what can help them with stress and other concerns before a crisis hits. Each person has different ways to practice self-care.

“If you want a really good foundation: you have to eat right; you have to sleep well; you have to exercise; you have to be social; and you have to have some sort of spiritual component,” Wiechmann said.

Many cities in Tarrant County, including Fort Worth, provide low-cost group wellness and exercise classes, and social opportunities for all ages through their park and recreation departments.

Mental health affects the family

Lena Pope provides families counseling, including children. The organization is a founding member of the Mental Health Connection. Ashley Elgin, CEO of the organization, said it has seen the severity of counseling needs increase since the pandemic started.

“Kids are coming in with much more severe concerns that require more intensity of the intervention, longer-term care,” Elgin said.

Suicide ideation has increased among youth and teens. Suicide is the second most leading cause of death among teens. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that one in five teens seriously considered suicide in 2019.

If a member of a family is facing mental health issues, it can affect other members. Stress can inflame issues among the family.

“When young people, young kids, are having mental health issues or behavioral issues that also impacts the family,” said Sonia Mosely, director of school and community based services at Lena Pope and Recognize and Rise co-chair. “Especially if that family is not equipped and they are not understanding the dynamics that are going on with that youth.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness found there was a 31% increase of mental health related emergency room visits among youth in 2020 compared to previous years.

Lena Pope suggests parents should be aware of the importance of mental health and have discussions with their children, especially college-aged children. Parents shouldn’t be afraid of addressing concerns with their children and asking for help when it is needed.

Elgin said families waiting to address a concern can make it bigger. Justifying or normalizing a child’s behavioral changes is a common problem Lena Pope has seen.

“When you notice that there has been a change, not discounting it as a developmental norm, but taking it very seriously and saying ‘Hey, let’s address this right away,” Elgin said.

Mental Health resources in Tarrant County:

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Recognize and Rise tools: recognizeandrise.org/

Lena Pope counseling services: 817-255-2652

MHMR of Tarrant County hotline: 817-335-3022

The Women’s Center rape and victim services hotline: 817-927-2737

Recovery Resource Council substance misuse assistance: 817-332-6329