Linn access center makes getting care easier

If you found this past year affected your mental health, you are not alone. In fact, in November 2020, the CDC reported that 44 percent of us were dealing with either depression or anxiety. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Linn County wants to ensure everyone knows it’s OK to not be OK.

Everyone encounters challenges in their life that affects their mental health. According to Mental Health America, the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness, one in five individuals experience mental illness. The good news is help is available. And seeking this help is a sign of strength.

Linn County has made addressing mental health one of its top priorities. National studies show that access to mental health providers was the biggest barrier to receiving services during the pandemic.

This spring, accessing mental health resources in Linn County became a whole lot easier. Linn County and the partnering agencies Foundation 2, Area Substance Abuse Council, Penn Center and Abbe Community Health celebrated the opening of Linn County’s first Mental Health Access Center. Located at 501 13th St. NW in Cedar Rapids, the Access Center provides urgent, high quality crisis behavioral treatment for people 18 years of age and older who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. The Access Center reduces barriers by providing an easy way for people who need it, to get the help they deserve.

Currently, the Mental Health Access Center offers daytime walk-in hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Use of Mental Health Access Center services is 100 percent voluntary.

The Mental Health Access Center receives funding from the East Central Mental Health Region, so anyone who is 18 years of age or older and lives in the following counties can use the services of the Mental Health Access Center: Benton, Bremer, Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Johnson, Jones and Linn.

We give every individual who walks through our doors the support they need to live their lives to the fullest. People in crisis who come to the Access Center do not need to feel ashamed about reaching out for help. We want you to know that it’s OK to not be OK and we are here to help you.

Mental health is vital to an individual’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable. Now, more than ever, we need to combat the stigma surrounding mental health concerns. Mental Health Awareness Month serves as a great opportunity for our community to begin eliminating stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness. By breaking down the stigma around mental illness, we can support those who are struggling to find the resources and treatment they deserve.

More information about Linn County’s Mental Health Access Center is available at www.LinnCounty.org.

Erin Foster, ACPS, is the director of the Linn County Mental Health Access Center.