What's Helping: 

• Interest by the community
• Cooperation of school system and local businesses

What's Hurting: 

• Lack of funding
• Lack of participation

There is a growing awareness of the connection between mental health and substance use.  Addiction and mental illnesses are dangerous alone; together, they can be lethal. 

Substance use and abuse are health issues, which often are major contributors to death and disability.  People who suffer from abuse or dependence are at risk for premature death, injuries, and disability.  In addition, substance use and misuse can have adverse consequences for families and communities. Having a substance use disorder affects an individual’s relationships with family and friends, ability to attend school or work, their overall physical and mental health, and may lead to problems with the legal system. 

Mental health and physical health are closely connected.  Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, affect people’s ability to participate in health promoting behaviors.  In turn, problems with physical health, such as chronic diseases, can have a serious impact on mental health and decrease a person’s ability to participate in treatment and recovery.  Access to comprehensive, quality health care services is important for the achievement of health equity and for increasing the quality of a healthy life for everyone. 

Rural communities such as Mitchell often struggle with access to mental health and substance use programs and services.  Lack of providers and transportation in the community are barriers to access for care. People, including children and adolescents, with untreated mental health disorders are at high risk for many unhealthy and unsafe behaviors, including alcohol or drug abuse, violent or self-destructive behavior, and suicide. Mental health disorders also have a serious impact on physical health and are associated with the prevalence, progression, and outcome of some of today’s most pressing chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Mental health disorders can have harmful and long-lasting effects—including high psychosocial and economic costs—not only for people living with the disorder, but also for their families, schools, workplaces, and communities. 

Turning the Curve:  Approximately 50 local medical and mental healthcare professionals and community members, concerned about the increasing rate of unintentional deaths by prescription drug poisonings, came together to form the Mitchell-Yancey Substance Abuse Task Force (MYSATF). We meet monthly to brainstorm and plan projects in both counties.  Our core approach to reducing and eliminating substance abuse in Mitchell and Yancey counties includes awareness, education, advocacy, and prevention. Substance abuse is a complex issue.  In order for our work to be truly effective, we involve a broad range of stakeholders, including:

•  Local law enforcement
• Medical and mental health providers
• Schools
• Members of the faith community
• Youth
• Parents
• Businesses
• Civic organizations
• State and local government
• Media professionals