When it comes to advocating for mental health services, Terri McCormick is more than a business professional - she is a woman who has seen the impact of that work firsthand.
McCormick, the human resources director for BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Company, was one of four panelists at a Thursday luncheon geared toward exploring the evolution of workplace wellness and mental health. McCormick was the last to speak, but before she could talk about her work, she had to talk about her life - two things that cannot be viewed separately when it comes to wellness.
"I'm sitting here having an emotional response to what I'm hearing, because several years ago, a social worker and a policeman went into my daughter's home and removed our four grandchildren and gave them to us," McCormick said. "Sitting here as a user of the services they're describing ... all of them are things my family is a poster child for. It's something I never thought I'd experience in my life."
The Elevations Professional Women's Network, a 1,700-member group supported by the Charleston Area Alliance and Dow Chemical, held a "Women in Health" lunch and discussion downtown Thursday moderated by Cynthia Persily, president and CEO of Highland Hospital Association, and featuring local women involved in different aspects of mental health treatment and wellness promotion.
Dr. Jenee Walker, a Charleston psychiatrist and panelist, said the prevalence of mental illness coupled with the stigma often associated with it makes it a hot-button issue for employers, schools and families alike. According to Walker, nearly 1 in 5 people will be diagnosed with some sort of mental illness in their lifetime, while as many as 3 in 5 have some sort of symptom of mental illness but may not seek treatment.
"Often people want to ignore it, but that's not healthy," Walker said. "Just listen, and let them know that you care, and direct them to your [human resources] department or to someone who can get them connected with the services they need. Be aware, be compassionate, and take steps to get them help."
Nearly two-thirds of those who need help don't seek it, Persily said - likely for fear of judgment. Michelle Easton, dean of the University of Charleston's School of Pharmacy, said stigma exists, but other factors, including lack of access and a misunderstanding of the seriousness of some disorders, also contribute to the problem.
To combat any stigma attached to mental health treatment, UC moved its counseling services in with its other medical services, Easton said.
"It's no different on a college campus, which is nothing more than a microcosm of the world," Easton said. "Mental health is just like physical health, so wherever you go to get care, it should be in the same location. The message you send to students, faculty and staff is that this is a treatable condition and that those who have the expertise are right there in one place to provide your care."
Mental health issues and stigma aren't just adult problems, however - Sonya Christian, a psychologist for Kanawha County Schools, said that 1 in 5 children is diagnosed with a mental or behavioral issue, ranging from diagnoses of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder to autism, and those children can face the same problems adults do in terms of treatment access and acceptance.
"There are kids all the time who are put up for expulsion because nobody knows what else to do with them," Christian said. "Chances are if they had received intervention early on, they would never have reached that point."
Christian works at Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary, and although she visits schools across the county, she said children on the West Side can run into particular problems with trauma and home stability, stressing the importance of programs like Handle with Care, which allows Charleston police officers to notify schools in the city when children are present at traumatic events, such as domestic violence situations.
"There are so many things we can do to improve their outcomes in the long term," Christian said. "If they don't receive interventions, the outcome for them is really poor most of the time."
Reach Lydia Nuzum at lydia.nuzum@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @lydianuzum on Twitter.