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BARABOO, Wisconsin – The Sauk County District of the National Alliance's Sauk County held an awareness meeting Saturday that showed the challenges that mental health advocacy faces outside of major cities.
NAMI is a lobby group that provides resources and services to people with mental illness and their families. To celebrate Mental Illness Awareness Week, the Sauk County Chapter is being addressed to the community to help those who have been touched.
"It was good, even though there were not 50 people here as I had planned," said section president Lorrie Wickus. "I do not think I have enough people to do what I would like to do as president."
According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50% of Americans are diagnosed with mental illness at some point in their lives. Wickus knows that the need for services exists, but to be very difficult is to reach out.
According to Wickus, mental health advocacy efforts in the region can be difficult without more volunteers and more participants.
"One of the biggest challenges we have is to spread the word," she said.
The organization is currently looking for more recovering volunteers to offer advice to their peers.
Problems related to the provision of mental health care in more rural areas extend to the professional sector.
"The number of mental health specialists is much lower per person in rural areas than in other areas," said Wisconsin State Representative Dave Considine, who spoke at the meeting. .
Although the number of participants at the meeting may not be what Wickus was hoping for, she was still proud of the impact they could have had.
"When I feel frustrated and discouraged, something like this today is resuming me," said Wickus. "These are new people who have come here today, so they are new people we have contacted in the community who hopefully will convey the message that we are here."
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