KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Mental health advocates in East Tennessee say access is one of the biggest obstacles people face when looking for a mental health care provider.
Ben Harrington, CEO of the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee (MHAET), said there's a need for more mental health providers in our area following the COVID-19 pandemic.
"What happened during the pandemic is the number of people who needed mental health care and were struggling doubled," Harrington explained. "So that is challenging in an already tough market to find a provider anyway."
Harrington added something good did come out of the pandemic. He underscored attention to mental health made it much more acceptable to talk about problems, so that made people more comfortable with seeking help.
Mental health experts say the key is to look for that care as early and as quickly as possible.
"The perception some people have is that reaching out is a sign of weakness," Harrington commented. "But actually reaching out, making that first call is the strongest thing anyone can ever do. They might feel overwhelmed, not able to cope and the best thing they can do, the bravest thing they can do, the strongest thing they can do is reach out for help because then someone can help them."
The MHAET can help you find care in our area. Harrington recommends you start by visiting their website and taking a screening, which can help you figure out what sort of care you need, if any.
They also have a treatment access bank that can help you afford care if you are struggling financially.
"We are going to match them up with a therapist and provide up to 15 therapy sessions to help that individual on their road to recovery and provide them the stability and the skills to manage their condition moving forward," Harrington explained.
He also recommends calling their call center at 865-584-9125. There they have trained staff answering the phones who can help you as well.
May marks the start of 10News' Mental Health Mondays series, where we strive to bring awareness to issues that millions of people face every day.