Text-A-Tip Project for the Mentally Ill
The Goal of Text-A-Tip Project
The project is intended for the community members to be able to access immediate mental health Helpance when they need it, both for themselves and their friends and relatives. This is done with great degree of anonymity that allows an individual to share concerns about himself or someone else without risk of someone having the knowledge of who sent the comments. The outcome will be the creation of a platform where the community members will be able to voice concerns about themselves or friends in a bid to create a mentally safer and healthier community.
The Objectives of Text-A-Tip Project
To provide metal health illness resources to the Lake County which is a primary health concern to reduce increased risk of depression, anxiety, and self-directed harm in the mentioned county by increasing knowledge in mental health and supporting those affected by the related challenges.
To enhance anonymity in the provision of mental healthcare service so that the number of people using such services might increase through the elimination of fear of stigmatization by the public that is rampant in the conventional mental health care service providing units.
To reach people of lower social income everywhere in the society especially those who cannot afford the services of medical doctors in specialized healthcare facilities and create awareness of the existence of this program to make it a nationwide platform for both adults and youths.
Measurement and Assessment of Mental Wellbeing
Findings of various researches that are based on the assessment of quality of life especially with regard to mental health will be key in the assessment of the usefulness of the Text-A-Tip project over long time. The data, taken over different periods over a long time, by various bodies, for example, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, will be compared to know whether the project has helped reduce the effects of mental illnesses such as increased levels of depression and anxiety and direct self-harm suicide.
The indicators of mental wellbeing are categorized in three domains and are very critical in the Assessment of whether the Text-A-Tip project will have been successful over a long time. The assessment of emotional wellbeing of people such as the perceived levels of life satisfaction, cheerfulness, happiness and peacefulness assessed at the time of start and at determined intervals of time until the time of final assessment. The assessment is achieved by comparing the results of various years and researches and then drawing the relevant inferences. Another area that will play avital role in determining whether the project has succeeded is the assessment of psychological wellbeing of users such as self-acceptance, personal growth, and optimism, purpose in life, spirituality, and control of one’s environment, self-direction, accommodativeness and positive relationships. Lastly, the assessment of the success of this project may be based on the social wellbeing of the people of the county. The elements of this assessment would be social acceptance, beliefs in the society and the people, feelings of self-worth and a sense of community (Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016).
Project Viability and sustainability
This project may be loosely sustainable because it require minimal resources for its sustainence. Its anonymity aspect will help it attract more clients than anyone can imagine in a very short time. It requires funds for website maintenance and for the payment of the online mental health specialists. The project also requires a team of data analysis that must take into account the significance of mental wellbeing in their duty. The project has the capability to increase the capacity of the community in dealing with the menace of mental health among adults and youths.
Provided Literature
Mental illness is a significant problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), about 25% of adults in the United States have a mental illness. Even though Waukegan, North Chicago, and Lake Forest vary greatly in socioeconomic status, mental illness is an issue in all. Mental illness is present regardless of socioeconomic status. Even though mental illness is a prevalent condition, in Lake County, IL there is a lack of mental health resources available to those with a mental illness (Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, 2016). Therefore, the primary health need in Lake County regarding mental illness is to increase the availability of mental health resources. With this in mind, the community diagnosis created is as follows: increased risk of depression, anxiety, and self-directed harm among Lake Forest, North Chicago, and Waukegan residents related to lack of mental health resources as demonstrated in lack of knowledge about mental health disorders and lack of support for those with depression, anxiety, and self-directed harm.
Many people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and self-directed harm are aware they have a problem. However, due to social stigma many do not want to do anything regarding their issue. According to National Alliance on Mental Illness (2003), nearly two-thirds of people with a mental health illness do not seek treatment. Many do not want to be labeled as having a mental health illness. The implementation of spreading the word of LEADs text-a-tip program can help those with a mental illness voice a concern they are having anonymously. This will protect them from the social stigma that goes along with mental illness.
Mental illness resources are thought to be lacking in Lake County, IL. However, LEADs text-a-tip program is available to those located anywhere who are aware that the program exists. Therefore, the word of LEADs text-a-tip program needs to be disseminated. Even though LEADS text-a-tip program was created with Lake Forest adolescents in mind; it is now being used nationwide. LEADs text-a-tip program is also free which will allow for anyone who has a cellphone to participate in the program. This ensures that people of lower socioeconomic status who cannot afford to go to a doctor to treat their mental illness can seek help in an emergency situation if they text in to the hotline.
Without the spread of LEADs text-a-tip program, the number harmed by mental illness will continue to increase. In the past ten years the number of suicide rates in the United States has continued to steadily increase year after year. In 2005 there were 10.9 deaths due to suicide per 100,000 individuals. This continued to increase and in 2014 the number of suicide per 100,000 individuals was 12.93 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2016). According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (2016), intentional self-harm suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. 41,149 died in 2013 due to suicide.
References
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (2016). Suicide Statistics. Retrieved from
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Mental Health Basics. Mental Health Indicators. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). CDC report: mental illness
diverse communities. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealthsurveillance/
http://www.lakecountyil.gov/documentcenter/view/4466
http://www.lakecountyil.gov/documentcenter/view/4466
https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center. (2016). Illinois project
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2003). Facts about stigma and mental illness in
plan for the local assessment of needs (IPLAN). Retrieved from
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_02.pdf
surveillance among U.S. adults. Retrieved from
U.S Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). Death: final data for 2013.
