.gif)
COLUMBUS – The Health and Behavioral Wellness Council of Greater Colorado Valley, also known as the Wellness Council, met to discuss mental illness and updates since their last meeting.
The group met Thursday, May 11 at the Colorado County Courthouse on the first floor, Room 106, 400 Spring St.
The Wellness Council’s May campaign targeted mental health.
Dr. Mazie Leftwich, president of the Wellness Council, talked about how the county has acknowledged mental health including by a proclamation signed by the Colorado County Commissioners earlier in the month and by all three mayors in the county.
“You don’t find that many counties that get that kind of support from their elected officials. We are so blessed,” Leftwich said.
Leftwhich spoke she talked about the human side of mental illness and the stigmas associated with it. She said mental illnesses are brain disorders that are biologically based medical problems. She said 754,000 adults in Texas had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. She also said suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24.
Leftwich also broke down some of the numbers from mentalhealthtexas. org. She said 3,309,000 adults in Texas live with a mental illness. She said 3.2% of children aged 3-17 have diagnosed depression, 7.1% of children aged 3-17 have diagnosed anxiety, and 61% of adults in Texas who needed mental health treatment in the last year did not receive any. She said depression is a biological issue and mentioned how their has been a shift since the Covid-19 pandemic. Leftwhich said isolation and loneliness and the lack of personal relationships during the pandemic has caused an increase in mental health in Texas.
Odette Elliston, LCSW (right) and Denise Sklar from the Lighthouse at Rice Medical Center spoke about what the program offers, such as offering mental health care for seniors struggling with depression, anxiety, grief, feelings of hopelessness, social isolation, changes in sleep or appetite, and more. They also emphasized how seniors may face loneliness.
The program also helps provide transportation for those outside of the Eagle Lake area who attend the out-pat ient day program. For questions, contact oel l iston@ r icemedi calcenter.net or call 979-232-7005. For more information, visit ricemedicalcenter.
net.
The Wellness Council also announced that Kim Poré is leaving Texana to go into private practice. Poré said she has been with Texana for 10 years; 8 years as a clinical team lead and then the rest of the time as a clinic manager. She said she has served 30 years in her field. Poré introduced Wendy Olmstead, LPC, who will will serve as the new clinical manager. Olmstead said she has been working in Wharton County for 15 years and is now looking forward to serving Colorado County.
Kim Poré also introduced D’Trique Fitzgerald, a student at Columbus High School who graduated Valedictorian (confirmed prior to graduation). She said Fitzgerald applied for scholarships and will receive a full ride to Rice University. She said he will be a first-generation college student.
“D’Trique really has a heart and community,” Poré said. “He has a heart for mental health and students that may have been disadvantaged.”
The Wellness Council will take a summer break and not meet in June and July but reconvene Aug. 10 at noon. That meeting will focus on networking.
