Long waitlists for mental health care can deter people from getting the help they need. At best, this lessens quality of life. At worst, it ends lives. Personally, I put off seeking mental health treatment for years due to frustration with the system, and nearly lost my life because of it. Countless others have suffered undue mental anguish because they couldn’t get access to health care, and this issue needs to be addressed.
Access to mental health care is a vital service, especially with the high rate of mental illness in Utah. As of 2022, Utah had the highest percentage of adults suffering from mental illness in the U.S. at 29.68% (Chow, 2022). With this in mind, it’s shocking and upsetting to hear that NAMI Utah, a leading voice and resource on mental health care in Utah, is suspending its support groups and classes due to financial issues. Mental health care in Utah is scarce as it is, and the loss of NAMI Utah will come as a large blow.
It’s surprising that despite the high prevalence of mental illness in Utah, support for mental health services from the community and government is underwhelming. The stigma surrounding mental illness likely contributes to this. We need to normalize mental health treatment, especially considering how common it is to experience mental health issues today. We can do this by actively talking about mental illness and spreading awareness of the issue. As a community, it is our responsibility to support mental health services through donations, lobbying for funding, and destigmatizing mental illness.
Summer Faull, Salt Lake City
