OWENSBORO, Ky. — The rise in mental health challenges have been growing over the past several years and have only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts agree the rates of a variety of mental health diagnoses and related conditions will continue to rise and are likely to be with us for several years. 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year and the average adult will delay seeking care for 11 years. Owensboro Health and RiverValley Behavioral Health are the latest in a growing number of organizations taking proactive steps to protect population mental health and help people flourish, even in challenging times.
Owensboro Health recognizes that there is a huge need for mental health resources in the communities we serve and across the country. We have partnered with RiverValley Behavioral Health to provide the Credible Mind resource to anyone in the community who has internet access via computer, tablet, phone or any other device. All they have to do is visit HealthyMind.CredibleMind.com to begin.
“We hope that this physician-approved and scientifically supported material will be used by those in our community who have mental health needs and those who simply wish learn more about mental health,” said Dr. James Tidwell, Owensboro Health Vice President of Population Health Services. “The Owensboro Health Foundation has granted the funds needed to provide this resource and we all hope that this will help address an important community need.”
“We are devoted to offering the best evidence-based information available to our community in order for individuals to make informed choices. This information can help individuals recognize symptoms and empower them to seek help when needed,” said Dr. Wanda Figueroa-Peralta, RiverValley Behavioral Health’s CEO and President. “We must destigmatize mental health issues and work together to make access to treatment timely and viable. This partnership of RiverValley and Owensboro Health is a step in the right direction, and a testament of our collective commitment to integrated health and wellness.”
CredibleMind serves a growing roster of private employers, public agencies, and community health organizations in their efforts to destigmatize the mental health discussion. The CredibleMind platform delivers consumer-friendly evidence-based help on over 200 topics and approaches, such as anxiety, depression, parenting, working from home, and relationships. It features over 10,000 expert-vetted resources (articles, podcasts, apps, videos, and more) and an AI-driven engine that evaluates new resources on an ongoing basis.
“We are honored to be of service to the entire Owensboro Health service areas,” said Deryk Van Brunt, founder and chief executive officer of CredibleMind. “Our aim is to help people get needed support both in this unique time and beyond. The lessons learned after 9/11 tell us we can expect a significant increase in mental health and substance abuse problems. We are working hard with partners, such as Owensboro Health and RiverValley Behavioral Health to get out ahead and improve access to mental health resources.”