Major Mental Illness: Resources in Tarrant County

Purpose: Our project sought to present patient resources in Fort Worth and Tarrant County that focus on major mental illness, which affects 1 in 5 adults yearly in the United States. This includes, but is not limited to: major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and substance abuse disorders. There is a higher prevalence of major mental illness among homeless, prisoner, and veteran populations, and in Tarrant County high poverty and uninsured rates contribute to prevalence rates higher than the national averages. Additionally, there are shortages of mental health care providers in Tarrant County and Texas overall. Methods & Results: A thorough investigation and review of resources in Tarrant County was conducted. Among the resources found in Tarrant County, several are branches of larger state or national organizations that provide extensive support and advocacy for, and education about mental illness. In addition to providing information on Tarrant County resources, we included information on resources for medical and health professions students on the UNT Health Science Center campus who may be living with one of these illnesses. High prevalence of physician burnout and maximal stress contributes to mental instability and increased mental illness prevalence among physicians and providers. Conclusions: Based on what we found in our search for resources, we concluded that there needs to be an increase in the number of mental health providers, an increased focus on advocacy and awareness about mental illness and health care, and an open dialogue about the real consequences of untreated mental illness in all populations.