Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Polk County's behavioral health team has launched a website to help those seeking mental health and substance use disorder resources in the county. The website features a directory of behavioral health providers in Polk County, blogs from local professionals focusing on relevant health topics, as well as a statistical dashboard and provider accessibility in the county.
The death of a friend or loved one is hard. The reaction people have to loss and death is called grief. Grief is natural and is experienced in some manner by all who have lost someone they loved. Grief can also be experienced after any time of loss, including the loss of a pet, a relationship, a job or any other time in life where major changes happen (i.e., retirement or when grown children leave the home). The grieving process, or mourning, is part of a path to healing from the loss of someone or something there was an attachment to. This process happens typically in four areas of life: 1) feelings, 2) physical sensations, 3) thoughts and 4) behaviors.
According to reports from the Florida Department of Health in Polk, in 2022, about 17% of adults (18 years or older) reported poor mental health on 14 or more days out of the past 30. In the same year, about 30% of middle and high school students who attended Polk County public schools reported having felt sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row and stopped doing usual activities in the past year.
"There is nothing as unbearable as seeing a person suffer and knowing that there may be a resource available to meet their behavioral health needs," said Holly Vida, Behavioral Health Program Manager. "Our hope is that this website will provide a starting point for individuals seeking resources for themselves, or for friends or family members trying to help a loved one."
In addition to behavioral health information, the website provides resources to help Polk County residents address supplemental aspects of well-being, including health coverage, transportation to and from Medical appointments, food resources and housing.
In many instances a primary care physician or pediatrician can help you begin finding resources/treatment for autism. Use the provider directory to locate a provider in Polk County.
The website was funded through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Visit the website at http://www.polkcountybehavioralhealthresources.org or http://www.pcbhr.org.
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