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Racine County launches new website for mental health resources

The Journal Times - 2/12/2020

Feb. 11--RACINE COUNTY -- When Jonathan Delagrave became Racine County executive in 2015, one of his primary goals was to improve access to mental health assistance in the county.

In the next step of that campaign, the county has launched a new website -- RacineCountyFamilyResources.com -- to make it easier to find mental and behavioral health help.

The county announced the launch of the website Monday. According to its announcement, the site includes a directory of behavioral and mental health providers in the community, as well as other interactive tools, and more than 30,000 articles, fact sheets and reports to learn from.

On the site there are links that can help:

-- Parents find behavioral health help for their kids.

-- A symptom checker to help people identify what issues they might be facing.

-- An online library of "prescription and over-the-counter medications for all health conditions."

-- And another online library of medical tests regarding both physical and behavioral health.

"The launch of this website is an important step forward in improving access to mental health care for Racine County residents," Delagrave said in a statement.

RacineCountyFamilyResources.com isn't for mental health only. There are also "Learning Centers" filled with information on breast health, colon health, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and other conditions.

Lifting the stigma

Users can save information on the site, allowing them to more easily track services and supports they plan on using.

"Our work is just beginning," Delagrave stated. "We are committed to an even higher quality of service, greater access to care and further reducing stigma."

That stigma is still the biggest thing that stands in the way of people actually seeking mental health help, according to Nicole Smart, the program director at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Racine County.

"The number one reason people don't seek treatment is the stigma still behind mental illness and the fear of being alienated from society," she said.

Following that, however, Smart said that Racine County simply needs more resources -- mainly more therapists and psychiatrists -- to treat the needs of its citizens, since wait times to see a doctor can sometimes be several months long, especially if someone is underinsured.

Need help now?

In case of emergency: 911

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255

CRISIS Line: (262) 638-6741

Report abuse and neglect: (262) 638-7720

Sexual Assault Services Crisis Line: (262) 637-7233

All of these phone numbers are included on RacineCountyFamilyResources.com's "Need help now?" page.

6 Text HOPELINE 74174

Send a text from anywhere, any time, about any type of challenge or struggle. Help and hope is just a text away.

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(c)2020 The Journal Times, Racine, Wisc.

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