On this episode of the Voices of Reason podcast, Jasen Lee and Amy Donaldson take a dive into mental health and the impact of mental illness in our community and around the country. Joining us is Dr. Todd Thatcher, chief medical officer at Valley Behavioral Health in Salt Lake City.
Dr. Thatcher offers expert perspective how many people are affected by mental illness, the most common diagnoses of mental illness, the more common misconceptions and where find resources.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, mental illness is defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, other than a developmental or substance use disorder. Nationally, about 43.7 million or 18.3 percent of the U.S. population is affected by mental illness; while in Utah, approximately 417,000 or 20.9 percent of the state is affected.
Chances are that most people have known someone or been impacted by a mental health issue. We look at how to get help when dealing with an illness that frequently isn’t obvious and comes with a stigma that prevents some individuals from acknowledging the problem and getting the care they need.
Locally, Valley Behavioral Health manages 69 programs in Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties serving 17,757 individuals annually. For more information statewide, visit Valleycares.com, Highlandspringsclinic.org or call 888-949-4864.
