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County commission declares May Mental Health Awareness Month

Abilene Reflector-Chroncle - 5/11/2022

May 9—The Dickinson County Commission declared May as Mental health Awareness Month in the county.

CBS Coordinator for Central Kansas Mental Health Center Taylor Haws who oversees Dickinson County was present for the proclamation and read it off during the county's Thursday morning meeting last week.

"The mental health of every citizen is essential to the emotional and economic prosperity of our families, communities and businesses in Dickinson County," Haws read off. "Mental health is a key component of every individual's physical health and emotional wellbeing."

Mental health knows no class, race or gender barriers, she said — it can have an impact on anyone.

Furthermore, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people in Kansas aged 10 to 34, Haws said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not helped this in any way, with the pandemic having taken a toll on the mental health and wellbeing of people across the state and the nation, causing anxiety and depressing, according to Haws.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

"Mental health conditions are not only common, they are treatable and early and effective intervention can save lives," she read off.

Haws said awareness and destigmatization of mental health issues was key.

"Greater public awareness can possibly transform attitudes about people with mental illness, making it easier for our citizens to seek help for a mental health issue," she said, reading from the proclamation.

Haws said "many changes" had been made to the local mental health center recently.

She said one of the biggest changes that she could announce to the public was the provision of same day access, meaning that the Dickinson County office of the Central Kansas Mental Health Center in Abilene now had open hours from 1 until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday where people can have intake evaluations done, make connections with supports and schedule necessary mental health services on the same day.

Haws said the Central Kansas Mental Health Center would also be working with school districts all throughout Dickinson County to provide mental health services such as case management, therapy and psychosocial groups.

Mental health can have an impact on people of all ages — there are no generational limits on need for mental wellbeing, she said.

According to Haws, her organization serves people from age 3 and up.

"It's really all age groups and the entire family system," she said. "Whether they're that nuclear family of mom, dad and child, foster families, individuals living independently — all ages."

Commissioner Lynn Peterson thanked Haws for her service to the county and encouraged people to reach out to local mental health services if they need help.

"There's help available if people feel they need help," he said. "We always want to encourage people to reach out."

The Central Kansas Mental Health Center offers crisis services and other mental health services in Dickinson County.

These services can be accessed by calling the local office at 785-263-1419.

The local office is located at 420 Northeast 10th St. in Abilene.

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(c)2022 the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle (Abilene, Kan.)

Visit the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle (Abilene, Kan.) at www.abilene-rc.com

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