Mental health treatment can begin with a conversation – West Central Tribune

"The biggest thing to remember is we all deal with mental health. We all need to be mentally healthy," said Dr. Ashley Kjos, CEO of Woodland Centers. "It is okay to seek treatment."

At the Dec. 12 Lunch with Leaders panel, sponsored by the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, six mental health professionals discussed trends in mental health and how employers and communities can help. On the panel with Kjos were Nick Klein, substance use supervisor at Woodland Centers; Jennie Lippert, Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services director; Jessica Delzer, director of Behavioral Health Services for Carris Health - Willmar; Vicki Norton, manager of services for Project Turnabout in Willmar; and Tanya Friese, manager of holistic treatment services with Project Turnabout in Granite Falls.

"We need to be willing to have these conversations," Klein said.

All of these organizations partner together to meet the mental health needs of the local area and beyond.

"As a community, we come together collaboratively to treat people, to help people," said Delzer. "I think that is great as a community that we are able to do that."

Woodland Centers, Project Turnabout and Carris Health provide inpatient and outpatient treatment for addiction and mental health. Project Turnabout is one of only three providers of specialized gambling addiction treatment in the country. The county helps those who need assistance find the right treatment fit. Last year the county helped 204 adults and 103 children obtain services.

"We are really seeing an increase in children's mental health," Lippert said.

Mental health conditions can impact anyone, of any age or background.

"We serve people who are 1 to in their 90s," Kjos said, adding the leading diagnoses at Woodland Centers are depression and anxiety. Woodland Centers treats more than 5,000 patients annually.

All panel members discussed the connection between substance abuse and mental health, and how it is important to treat both.

"It is really difficult to separate the mental health piece from the addiction piece," Klein said. "It's long been established that addiction is a brain disorder. What we know about mental health is the two are intertwined."

Challenges facing the treatment providers include recruiting staff and being able to provide services to those who need it, when they need it. Insurance and Medicare can also make a difficult time even more confusing. Mental health professionals want to make treatment easier to obtain and less confusing, so the patients can focus on getting better.

"Our mental health system is broken and very hard to navigate," Kjos said.

The treatment centers the panelists represent have expanded their services and hired more staff in an attempt to meet the increasing need. Project Turnabout has more expansion plans in the works, especially for women.

The cases treatment providers are seeing are also more complex as those suffering wait until they hit a crisis point before getting help.

"We are keeping those beds quite full," Delzer said. "It is a constant in and out."

Employers can have a part to play as well, when it comes to helping those with a mental health issue. If they have an employee who perhaps isn't performing up to par, it is important to not jump to conclusions. Perhaps this person is suffering and needs someone to reach out.

"This is real," Delzer said. "You can't believe what these people are going through."

It is also helpful if a business offers its workers an employee assistance program which offers mental health services.

"Allow that safe environment, an open door policy," said Norton.

Probably the most important thing anyone can do is to not be afraid to broach the subject of mental health, to help break down the stigma that still surrounds it. The best way to start doing that is by conversation.

"Talk openly about feelings," Lippert said. "Take the time to ask them what is going on."

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Mental health treatment can begin with a conversation - West Central Tribune