Helping during tough times

Helping during tough times

EDITOR:

May has been Mental Health Awareness Month. Did you know that one in four adults has a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year? People living with mental illness hold jobs, go to school, own homes and pay taxes. During the troubled economic times many more people, who look just like you and me, will likely begin to experience symptoms associated with mental illness. People are anxious over possible job loss and depressed to see families and friends struggling financially. Children feel the worries of their parents. Our friends, families and neighbors deserve the best behavioral health services available.

Trumbull County is one of the counties lucky enough to have a levy supporting mental health services, but as more homes are foreclosed upon and businesses shut down, property tax revenues are also decreasing. Research has shown that for every dollar spent on treatment, there is an economic return of between $7 to $11.Chemical dependency treatment saves taxpayers an estimated $9,177 per person treated. Treatment works and people recover. Please contact your local legislators about the importance of funding for mental health and addiction.

LAUREN R. THORP

Warren

X The writer is Children’s Program Coordinator for Trumbull LifeLines.