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Opening up a dialogue

Mental illness impacts all walks of life

What type of imagery does the term “mental illness” conjure up in a person’s mind? Maybe it’s a glamorized portrayal — courtesy of Hollywood — or perhaps a darker, more menacing image.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults in the U.S., or 43.8 million people, experience a mental illness in a given year. One in five youth (ages 13-18), will have a severe mental disorder at some point in their lives, and over 90 percent of children who took their own life had a mental health condition. Kim Hagen, L.I.S.W. (Licensed Independent Social Worker), provides therapy services at Center Associates in Marshalltown.

“There are a lot of mental health needs in this community,” Hagen said. “Poverty, having substance abuse problems, and a lack of support are all factors.”

In the 2015-16 fiscal year, Center Associates served a total of 3,703 patients who racked up 27,729 visits, serving Marshall, Hardin and Tama counties (at its Marshalltown and Tama offices).

Barriers abound in seeking and receiving mental health treatment.

“The stigma prevents people from talking. They see it as a shameful thing. There can be cultural barriers, and financial and insurance barriers,” Hagen said.

Another obstacle mental health providers deal with is a lack of finances.

“We do a lot of outpatient treatment because inpatient resources have been cut so much. [The client] maybe doesn’t get the appropriate resources,” she said. “Agencies are experiencing budget cuts, and we try to adjust our services for when another agency closes.”

The lack of inpatient care results in outpatient facilities, medical providers (such as hospitals), and law enforcement agencies stepping in to supplement care.

“As many as one-fourth or one-third of calls to the Marshalltown Police Department are mental-health related,” MPD Lt. Rick Bellile told the T-R in a previous interview.

“Jail and prison populations have a high level of mental health problems — it goes back to lack of resources and treatment,” Hagen said.

She said she encounters misconceptions about what it’s like to have a mental disorder.

“A big misconception is that people who have a mental illness can’t function normally in society,” she said. “People also think it’s specific to a certain gender or culture; mental illness can affect anyone. You also see the media show when someone with a mental illness commits a crime, and not when they have a stable life.”

Education and public outreach are ways in which Hagen and her colleagues engage in awareness raising efforts, particularly by entering the schools and providing therapy resources for adolescents.

“We start young and have therapists who visit all the schools in the Marshalltown School District and several others in the area,” she said.

Hagen believes mental illness is on the rise.

“We face more stressors and pressures, and lead busier lives,” she said. “Children especially have higher rates of anxiety and depression … People aren’t as resilient as they used to be.”

She said fostering resiliency in her clients is an element of her therapy sessions, although each client receives a personalized treatment plan.

“The goal for therapy is for there to be a beginning, middle and end, but that’s not always realistic for someone with a chronicle mental illness,” Hagen said.

Because of cuts in funding and availability of resources, mental health agencies often band together, and refer clients to other facilities.

“We work closely with SATUCI (Substance Abuse Treatment Unit of Central Iowa), and we have a lot of clients in common with them,” she explained. (Center Associates and SATUCI are both located at 9 N. 4th Ave in Marshalltown). “We work with a lot of primary care providers too.”

Hagen recommends those who believe they may be exhibiting symptoms of mental illness not self-diagnose, but rather, seek professional consulting.

“Mental illness is misunderstood. Bipolar, schizophrenia and OCD (Obsession Compulsive Disorder) have become slang terms. For instance, hearing voices is a symptom, not a disease. People need to seek out help from a professional for appropriate help and intervention.”

Hagen may be reached at: 641-752-1585 or khagen@centerassoc.com.

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