Gov. Gordon hosts Town Hall for mental health

A recent visit from Governor Mark Gordon to Sweetwater County gave local leaders and residents a chance to discuss ongoing issues and celebrate successes both around the state and locally. 

Governor Gordon has been hosting a series of Town Hall meetings across Wyoming, primarily to address the topic of mental health care. The latest Town Hall was on November 29 at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs. 

"Governor Gordon is prioritizing improving access to mental health resources," a press release from the governor's office explained. "The Health Care Task Force is working to identify barriers, opportunities, and gaps in the network of mental health and substance abuse care in the state. The Town Halls are an opportunity to hear from local communities with firsthand experience of this issue."

At the meeting, Governor Gordon explained that Wyoming no longer has the highest suicide rate for states, which is an improvement. Efforts like establishing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline have helped. However, the governor said the work that has been done still isn't enough, and he pointed out that Sweetwater County has one of the highest suicide rates for Wyoming. Gordon added that mental health initiatives involve all branches of government, and that it is important to know what is going on at a community level when it comes to mental health. 

"Community is really where the problems get solved," Korin A. Schmidt, the director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services, agreed, stressing the importance of making connections locally.

Representative Lloyd Larsen also spoke to explain that there has been a focus on defining what the state's role is when it comes to mental health. He said there is work to avoid duplicate efforts in partnering with organizations such as churches, nonprofits, and charitable organizations. He also noted that the legislature is focusing on policy as well as a funding model that will go into effect in 2024. He explained that, in an effort to focus on budget priorities, the question was asked to different mental health services: "If you could only serve one population, who would be the priority?"

Governor Gordon admitted that ongoing conversations are needed to know how to allocate resources, and reminded everyone of the significant revenue challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also recognized the importance of having a perspective of where the mark has been missed, as well as where there has been success, and he encouraged continued engagement.

During the open forum portion of the meeting, several residents spoke to share their own experiences with receiving mental health treatment and help in Sweetwater County. 

Troy Macy shared his experience with the Treatment Court program. He explained that he was an addict for 30 years. He started experimenting with drugs in high school before dropping out, and has been in prison three times. Two years ago, Macy received a prison sentence of up to nine years in prison for selling drugs. He began counseling for in-patient care, then started the Treatment Court program. He said the team for Treatment Court talked to him as a person and not as a criminal, and they stayed engaged. He also noted that his involvement in the community removed the feeling of isolation.

Troy Boerner explained that he went through the program with Troy Macy, and they, along with their group of "brothers," have weekly brunches. Boerner said that his story involved alcohol abuse, and he took part in an IOP program through Southwest Counseling. In addition, Judge John Prokos reduced his bond amount in an effort to help him afford a treatment program for alcohol abuse. Boerner is now on the Community Advisory Board with Southwest Counseling, which is currently in a year-long assessment process focusing on funding and community needs.

Whitney Majhanovich explained that she was in the program for a year while having an identity crisis, and she gave high praise to the Treatment Court team. She said she came out of the program as a better person with no self hatred.

However, not all of the comments regarding mental health services in Sweetwater County were positive. Tammie Orr spoke to explain her family's history with mental health needs and the lack of help she received locally. Orr said two of her family members, including her son, have bipolar disorder. She shared that her mother attempted suicide three times in the 1970s and went through electroshock therapy. Orr added that she herself had a mental breakdown and considered suicide, but chose not to seek help from Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. She mentioned multiple times that Southwest Counseling did not help. She also noted that Medicare requires a certain level of education for counselors in order to provide coverage, and mentioned that she is part of an alliance to break the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Commissioner Island Richards noted that the Town Hall highlighted the areas of need in Sweetwater County during his comments at the start of the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday.

"I think that what I got out of [the Town Hall meeting] was a feeling that we have plenty of pretty solid programs in Sweetwater County to support addiction treatment, and that Treatment Court is a valuable investment in our community, but we have some real shortcomings when it comes to mental health treatment, and we have a lot of work to do on that front," Richards said. 

The commissioners, Green River City Council members, and other local officials and leaders had the chance to be part of not only the Town Hall meeting but other meetings and meals with the governor while he was in town. The commissioners noted that having breakfast with Governor Gordon provided a chance to talk about the ongoing concerns surrounding the Bureau of Land Management's Resource Management Plan for the Rock Springs Field Office. Governor Gordon also took time to see more of Western and have a student demonstration from the college's new Powerline Program. The governor even had the chance to climb a powerline pole and test out the CDL driving simulator.