A Letter to the Editor in the Chicago Sun-Times
Mental health requires continual attention — every day, week and month of the year, writes Jana L. Jones, president and CEO of The Family Institute at Northwestern University, in a letter to the editor of the Chicago Sun-Times this Mental Health Awareness Month.
Full text below:
During Mental Health Awareness Month, The Family Institute at Northwestern University recognizes that while it is an important time to reflect on our mental and behavioral health, our work is not bound by a single month. Mental health requires continual attention — every day, week and month of the year.
As one of the nation’s leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations, we provide mental health services to children, adolescents, couples, families and individuals, and we offer rigorous training and preparation programs for future clinicians.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control reports the United States is in a mental health crisis, experienced by people of all ages. According to the former U.S. Surgeon General, it takes an average of 11 years for a young person with an identified mental health need to receive treatment.
The Chicago Health Atlas reported that in our city, there are significant unmet psychological and emotional needs within communities of color. Nearly 50% of Hispanic and nearly 33% of Black Chicagoans reported they have an unmet mental health need or are in serious psychological distress, compared to 17% of white Chicagoans.
These alarming trends are exacerbated by barriers to treatment. In Illinois alone, there are only 14 behavioral health professionals per 10,000 residents. More than one-third of U.S. residents live in geographies that lack mental health professionals.
It is estimated that more than 6,300 additional mental health providers are needed to meet the current need, which we are trying to meet with two master’s-level programs, building a pipeline of highly trained and qualified mental health professionals specializing in counseling or marriage and family therapy.
Our therapy services, spear-headed by a team of 110 therapists are empirically informed and culturally responsive, helping clients to see themselves more clearly to address their life’s challenges. And as an intellectual hub, our research team currently has 10 research projects studying methods for effective therapy and positive outcomes.
The World Health Organization shared that one in four people are affected by a mental health condition during their lifetime. If you or someone you know needs support, we invite you to contact us. It is never too late — or too soon — to prioritize your mental health.
Jana L. Jones, president and CEO, The Family Institute at Northwestern University
