By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Tuesday's Barton County Commission meeting was another busy one for proclamations. The board honored the work of Central Kansas Debriefing for its work of providing mental health access for first responders. The board also heard from Vicki Richardson, Central Kansas Partnership chair, along with task force members, to proclaim May 12-18 as National Prevention Week. Julie Kramp, executive director at the Center for Counseling and Consultation in Great Bend, said her organization should receive notification soon that it is now a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).
"Part of the requirement of a CCBHC is that we provide care coordination, and that's a lot of collaboration within our community," Kramp said. "I think that today, with this agenda, and the people that are here, you can see the need for mental health in this community is huge. But we're not unique. The need for mental health in the United States is growing."
Kramp said there is a shortage of counselors and substance abuse professionals nationwide. The country is also seeing an uptick in stress, anxiety, and depression. That makes Mental Health Awareness Day on May 21 all the more important.
"That's one place where we go out on the courthouse lawn and we just show the community that there are a number of resources that people can just access," said Kramp. "I love Mental Health Awareness Day because people can just walk up and everything is free, there are resources, food, family fun. That's an opportunity in May just to express that mental health is important in Barton County. It's public and it's available right there on the Barton County square."
The 11th annual local observance is set for 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, at Jack Kilby Square in downtown Great Bend. The Center will be joined by approximately 20 other organizations to answer questions about mental health and the various resources available.