FORT LUPTON, Colo. -- Suicide rates, overdoses and substance abuse all are on the rise since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.

Colorado's community health centers have seen a dramatic increase in patients in need of care.

Jonathan Muther, vice president of medical services for Salud Family Health Centers, which operates 13 clinics serving both rural and metropolitan residents, said before COVID-19, nearly one in five patients presented symptoms of mental illness or substance-use disorder. Since the pandemic, one in three present symptoms, but most cannot access care.

"Even before the pandemic, more than half of the individuals with an identified need did not receive access to care," Muther recounted. "And that gap has only widened since the pandemic."

Last week, Muther told members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions his team has responded to the increased need in part by expanding telehealth efforts. But he argued more needs to be done to remove barriers that prevent people from getting care, including lack of adequate health coverage, not knowing where to get help, social stigma, and a lack of non-English-speaking staff.

Changes in how federally qualified health centers are reimbursed would give more providers the flexibility to meet people in need of care where they are.

Muther pointed to Salud's integrated approach to care, where people get mental-health screenings whenever they check in with their primary-care provider, vision specialist or dentist.

"We structurally embed a behavioral-health visit in the context of the medical visit, whether that's in person or via telehealth," Muther explained. "We have behavioral-health providers that just do a proactive outreach to individuals in order to recognize a mental-health concern as early as possible and be able to do something about it."

Adults are most likely to reveal symptoms, which can include increased anxiety or depression, but also physical manifestations such as chronic head or stomach aches, to their doctor.

Muther added getting more mental-health professionals into schools can help reach children. Clinics have also successfully reached patients who don't get regular checkups through targeted outreach.

Alzheimer's disease is the eighth-leading cause of death in Pennsylvania.

A documentary on the topic debuts Saturday in Pittsburgh. "Remember Me: Dementia in the African American Community" features individuals and families who are dealing with memory loss.

C. Nathaniel Brown, founder and CEO of Expected End Entertainment and a former Pittsburgh resident, said his aunt lives with dementia, which sparked his interest in talking with others to find out more about the disease and how it affects communities of color.

"The first thing I found out was that there are over 100 types of dementia," Brown noted. "And the more I learned, the more I realized how much it was impacting the African American community disproportionately. We're twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or some other progressive type of dementia."

The film will be shown at the Carnegie Library in Homewood, from Noon to 3 p.m. ET. It is free, but registration is required. According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than half of Black Americans believe major declines in memory and cognitive function are simply a normal part of aging, rather than symptoms of Alzheimer's or dementia.

Brown added after the screening, there will be a question-and-answer session and community organizations will be there to provide resources.

"Allegheny County Health Department will be present, the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer's disease Research Center will be there," Brown outlined. "The Dementia Friendly Pennsylvania organization will be there, as well as several people who were interviewed for the film, including counselors, professionals."

He mentioned the documentary features the late Academy Award-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. Brown said Gossett emphasized the importance of leaving a legacy by educating people about living with Alzheimer's, steps to take after diagnosis, and preventive measures.


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Boulder and Broomfield County residents can now access mental health services the same way they can access urgent medical care.

Dr. Nadia Haddad, medical director of mental health services with Mental Health Partners, said all too often, people can't get help unless they are already connected with an outpatient provider, and many have months-long waiting lists. She said if people have to wait for care, their situation can get worse, and what might have been a manageable issue can turn into a crisis.

"They are going to the emergency room or going to a psychiatric hospital. And so what we're trying to do is fill that gap so that people can get connected with services when they need it, on a walk-in basis," she said.

Mental Health Partners, a community mental health center serving Boulder and Broomfield counties for 60 years, recently launched UrgentPsych Mental Health and Substance Use Urgent Care. The walk-in program provides immediate, in-person support for urgent mental health and substance use needs for anyone, regardless of their ability to pay, whether or not they are an existing client, or speak English. For more information about the 24-hour facility in northeast Boulder, call 303-443-8500.

Mental Health Partners' new Intensive Family Services program provides in-home therapy for K through 12 youth with disruptive behaviors who are at risk of being placed in foster care or the juvenile justice system. The urgent care facility is also available to people of all ages.

"That's another really challenging part of seeking out services. Care for children and adolescents is often even more challenging to find. There are fewer child psychiatrists out there," she said.

Both new programs were created in part to get people the services they need to avoid hospitalization. But Haddad said when people do reach a point where they need 24/7 monitoring and daily visits from a medical provider, it is essential that people can access hospital-level care.

"The vast majority of people who are dealing with mental health-related issues do not require hospitalization. If we can change people's trajectories earlier, we can prevent mental suffering, and they may not have to go through the hospital," she explained.


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This is National Library Week, honoring the many roles that libraries play in their communities.

In central Texas, a pilot program is using the public library system to expand mental health services in rural areas.

Residents in four counties can get assistance at their local public library through the Libraries for Health program.

Trained mental health peer specialists evaluate clients and refer them to clinics for additional help if it's needed.

The program is funded through the St. David's Foundation, working to advance health equity in Central Texas.

The foundation's Senior Program Officer Abena Asante said the initiative works in tandem with the mental health community.

"It's in no way taking the place of clinical-directed psychologists," said Asante. "It's just one community response in addressing the lack of mental wellness resources in rural communities."

Asante said libraries are trusted and accessible gathering places for people living in rural areas. The libraries tailor programs to meet specific local needs based on feedback from the residents.

Data collected during the 3.5-year pilot program will be used to evaluate its success. The nonprofit Via Hope trains the peer specialists who work in the libraries.

Dr. Sandra Smith, vice president of Via Hope, said the staffers use their own life experiences to help them relate to the clients.

"They have to have had a mental health challenge at some point in their life," said Smith. "We don't ask them any specifics about that, we don't ask diagnoses - it's a self-disclosure."

The Libraries for Health program operates in eight libraries in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays and Williamson counties. If successful, it could be implemented in other parts of the state.





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