The Human Resources Center
of Edgar and Clark Counties

MENTAL ILLNESS AND HARD TIMES Continued

In particular, she suggests “psychological disturbances for which biological evidence is marginal, including moderate depression and anxiety, “might be more influenced by social conditions such as poverty.”

While there is considerable debate about the relative role of biological and environmental factors with specific forms of mental illness, the undeniably higher prevalence of mental illness in poor communities has implications for public policy and the allocation of behavioral healthcare resources.  Dr. Hudson  emphasizes  that "If the rate of mental illness in poor areas is two to nine times what it is in rich areas, then you need two to nine times the levels of servicing and funding in [poor] areas, which rarely happens.”

“Psychological services for the most vulnerable,” Dr. Hudson says, should be linked to “concrete services,” such as supported unemployment and living assistance. "It used to be that mental health workers didn't want to concern themselves with housing and unemployment," he says. "But this is starting to change."

For over 40 years HRC has been striving to make the best possible use of available resources to serve the community’s needs.  As Federal and State funding has decreased, we have responded by cutting administrative costs and focusing on employment services and recovery-oriented service innovations.  As highlighted in the Behavioral Healthcare Program Enhancements section of this report, HRC’s recently expanded client and consumer-driven supports are vehicles for moving an increasing number of individuals from poverty and dependency to recovery.  Individualized Placement Services (IPS) / Supported Employment and peer mentoring are part of our concerted effort to improve the well-being of the people of Edgar and Clark Counties, a task that often involves working with one individual and one employer at a time.

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