Summit Counseling Center Debuts Mental Health Kiosk at the North Fulton County Mental Health Collaborative
New initiative to reduce stigma and increase help-seeking in the community
Johns Creek, GA. – October 27, 2016 – Summit Counseling Center in partnership with the Will To Live Foundation, today announced that it unveiled a mental health kiosk in North Fulton county. The kiosk is part of the Summit’s Check-Up from the Neck Up campaign to raise awareness for mood disorders, such as depression and allows individuals to connect with appropriate treatment resources. Individuals are encouraged to take an anonymous online screening at Screening.MentalHealthScreening.org/Summit to check in on their mental health.
Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness in a given year. One of the leading deterrents for seeking treatment is stigma. MindKare® Mental Health Kiosks are designed for use in public spaces and aim to reduce stigma by making screening for treatable conditions like depression or anxiety as commonplace as blood pressure screening.
“This initiative aligns with the county’s vision of improving the health and well-being of all residents”, said County Commissioner, Bob Ellis. “The kiosk will help reach people who may not have traditionally sought help for mental health or substance abuse.”
The kiosks are freestanding stations that offer a quick, anonymous way for individuals to check in on their behavioral health by providing users with:
- Online self-assessments for common mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use
- Information on whether their assessment is consistent with a common mental or behavioral health disorder
- An overview of the signs and symptoms of treatable behavioral health disorders
- Educational information and resources for quality, local treatment options
“We have embraced the concept of anonymous online screenings as a solid behavioral health intervention. The MindKare® program will help us expand our reach in the community”, said David Smith, Executive Director at the Summit Counseling Center. “Taking a public health approach to behavioral health can help prevent the onset of common mental health disorders, as well as lead people to treatment and community resources earlier on.”
Not only will the kiosk be available at events sponsored by the Summit Counseling Center, it is also available to be used by other organizations within the community to help raise awareness and remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
Over the past two years, Summit Counseling Center and the Will To Live Foundation have partnered with Fulton County Schools to provide therapists on site at six of the North Fulton County high schools. This partnership helps remove barriers (stigma, cost and transportation) that would otherwise prevent students from receiving the help they need. “We are seeing great outcomes from this partnership”, said John Trautwein, Co-founder of the Will To Live Foundation, “and are excited to expand our partnership in the community with this important new initiative.” Last year, while speaking at Screening for Mental Health’s 25th National Screening Day gala in Boston, Mr. Trautwein met Doug Chamberlain, CEO of Appleton Partners, who was in attendance and was inspired to fund the new MindKare® program in North Fulton county. “We are grateful to Mr. Chamberlain for this generous donation and the impact that it will have on our community,” said Mr. Trautwein.
MindKare® kiosks utilize an innovative online screening platform developed by Screening for Mental Health, the pioneer in large-scale mental health screenings for the public. The online screenings are not diagnostic but educational in nature. The screenings consist of a series of questions designed to indicate whether symptoms of a mental health disorder are present. After completing the screening, participants receive immediate confidential feedback and referral information to local resources for further information or treatment. These screenings can be accessed through the kiosk or directly online at Screening.MentalHealthScreening.org/Summit.
About Summit Counseling Center
Summit Counseling Center is a non-profit counseling center located in North Fulton county. Through partnerships with local schools, churches, civic organizations, and other non-profit organizations, the Summit provides awareness, education, and counseling services…with the vision of “A community that is mentally well and stigma free.” Visit our website at SummitCounseling.org to learn more about the Summit and the services that we provide.
About Will To Live Foundation
Will To Live Foundation is dedicated to preventing teen suicide by improving the lives and the “Will To Live” of teenagers everywhere through education about mental health and encouraging them to recognize the love and hope that exists in each other. Visit Will-To-Live.org to learn more about the foundation.
About MindKare®