Mental health services showcased at first Wayne County Community Health Fair

While the COVID-19 pandemic is well in the rearview mirror, the world is grappling with its impact on mental wellness that it left in its wake.

From the frontline healthcare workers battling burnout to the isolated elderly struggling to cope with loneliness to the young people facing uncertainty about their future, the mental health toll of COVID-19 is a crisis that cannot be ignored. Some people turned to alcohol for solace, others to drugs.

Taking a proactive approach to promote post-pandemic community healthcare services, including mental health providers, the Wayne County Health Department hosted a Community Health Fair.

“Anyone can utilize our services at the health department, and we encourage that,” said Elesa Eaken, community health promotion coordinator. “Right now, mental health is an issue that many people face, and we have resources available to help.”

As the pandemic raged and weeks turned into months, the lines between reality and a living nightmare blurred when the familiar rhythms of life and daily socializing no longer existed. A silent epidemic began to unfold as the world retreated behind masks and closed doors. The psychological impact of social isolation, a byproduct of the pandemic’s necessary precautions, took a toll on mental health.

“The pandemic definitely brought about an increased need for mental health services,” said The Counseling Center of Wayne and Holmes Counties (CCWHC) Community Education and Prevention Manager Jordan Kindinger. “There is so much need that we are building a mental health residential stabilization unit and increasing our services. We are passionate about providing the services people need for mental wellness.”

One of the new offerings from CCWHC is a day treatment program. According to Kindinger, it is a six-week, five-day-per-week program for people with needs above outpatient counseling.

“We have seen a growing need for this service in the community,” Kindinger said. “It is more intensive, and right now, it is internal referral-based, but we are working to build it up so we can provide it to the community.”

Kindinger said she didn’t know of a direct correlation between the pandemic and mental health, but there has been a definite increase in the need for mental health services since it ended.

According to Wayne County Health Commissioner Nick Cascarelli, the health fair offered a place where people could learn about what is available, whether it is healthcare, mental health or social services.

“We are in this new, larger facility, and we can now host events like this,” Cascarelli said. “We are here for the community and want to showcase what is available to improve their health.”

Visit the Wayne County Health Department at www.wayne-health.org. A 24-hour Mental Health Crisis Services hotline is available by calling 330-845-HELP (4357). In an emergency, dial 911.

Dan Starcher is the Public Communications coordinator for Wayne County.