The burden of mental illness: a report on La Crosse and the surrounding region

Abstract

The Burden of Mental Illness a Report on La Crosse and the Surrounding Region is a graduate project in partnership with the La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium's Healthiest County 2015: La Crosse mental health sub-committee, and The Mental Health Coalition of the Greater La Crosse Area. The goal of the burden report is to identify challenges, costs, and other impacts that the pursuit for mental health has on the community. The report will support organizations and agencies to identifying objectives based on public health approaches. The report provides a framework for considering the burden of illness attributed to mental illness in the La Crosse region. The first section presents data on youth and adult mental health risk factors, costs in the workplace, prevalence of health risks and chronic diseases, identified cost by illness, and years of potential life lost. The second section addresses data on prevention and stigma reduction, organizational efforts, healthcare costs and service utilization, identified level of community concern for mental health, and partnering groups and organizations in the community. Additionally, the conclusion highlights a response from key community leaders.