The Mental Health Crisis in Southwest Connecticut

We explore how the mental health crisis was impacting southwest Connecticut, how providers were addressing it, and what more needs to be done.

The Mental Health Crisis in Southwest Connecticut
Exploring the mental health crisis in Southwest Connecticut

In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on a youth mental health crisis that had been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Anytime you turn on the news or scroll social media or visit your go-to news site, you’re bound to come across a headline related to the country’s mental health crisis. At Coastal Connecticut Times, we thought it was important to explore the ways this crisis—for both youth and adults—is impacting our region.

We talked to numerous mental health care professionals who described an increase in the need for mental health services, an increase in the severity of mental health issues, and a lack of resources to address them.

But in addition to just highlighting the challenges, we also set out to explore some ways providers are trying to address the increased demand for services, highlight resources that are available, and find out ways that you can get involved in helping address this issue.

Explore our series: The Mental Health Crisis in Southwest Connecticut

Providers across Southwest Connecticut share how mental health-related issues are impacting the region, what they're doing to try and provide support to residents, and what more needs to be done. Video by Kelly Prinz.

If you or someone you know needs help, The Hub has put together resource guides for our region that highlight local providers

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Why are we writing these stories? Right now, anytime you turn on the news or scroll social media or visit your go-to news site, you’re bound to come across a headline related to the country’s mental health crisis. At Coastal Connecticut Times, we thought it was important to explore the ways this crisis is impacting our region, what’s being done to address it, and how you can help. We always welcome your feedback at coastalconnecticuttimes@gmail.com