The need for mental health care in Cape Girardeau County is rising, as Community Counseling Center provided more services last year.
Wendy Ice, CEO of the CCC, said the organization provided 7% more services last year compared to the previous year.
Her comments came at a community luncheon Friday at the Jackson Civic Center. The event, which kicked off mental health awareness month, was attended by hundreds of mental health care professionals and local leaders in law enforcement, government and the courts.
Ice said the CCC served more than 4,000 individuals last year, about 23% of whom were youth. The organization provided 105,000 services across therapy and psychiatry, school-based services, addiction treatment, case management and housing supports.
The CCC provided 4,900 nights of care in its youth residential program and 7,000 nights in its adult residential programs.
“But numbers only tell part of the story,” Ice said during her address. “Behind every one of those numbers is a person who found support when they needed it, a parent who learned how to better support their child, a teenager who found their voice, an individual in recovery who found stability, these are quiet successes that strengthen our entire community.”
Behavioral health “affects the entire community,” she said. “When someone faces challenges like depression, anxiety, addiction or trauma, the effects extend beyond that individual. It extends to their families, their co workers, their classmates and their neighbors.