U-Talk: Are mental health services enough of a priority in the community?
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- Cyn Walker
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- Lon Sorenson
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- Andrick Duarte
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- Galen Olson
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- Andy Toorts
“No, probably not. I don’t currently use them, but I think we have a real need for them. I think the community can use a lot more help. I think we need them because I think mental health issues are coming to light. I think they’ve always been there, but I think that we need to provide help for those who need it. We’ve had a lot of things on our plates right now with the economy and inflation.” — Cyn Walker, Pleasant Grove
“It should be. Well, I have people in my family that have mental issues and, you know, sometimes I don’t think people get everything they need. I don’t know if they need more services that they can go to that are open up for them … My boy is on Medicaid, and he only has a certain amount of doctors he can go to, and if he has an issue with a doctor, or, you know, things like that, it takes forever to get him to somebody, and it just makes it hard because, in his case, he needs things more than once every couple of months, and they can only get him in the time that is available.” — Lon Sorenson, Orem
“Well, everybody’s situation is different, so, some it could be enough, and some not enough, but me, personally, I would say enough. I would say that because I’m not really going through things … But, there are some days where I’m down, and stuff like that, and there’s, like, some gaps or some websites, facilities, where you could talk to someone — there should be, like, more services to help those in need, and if what’s provided for them is not enough then there should be some changes.” — Andrick Duarte, American Fork
“We try to do enough, but there is not enough funding to do what needs to be done. Probably not enough people going into the field to help the people that need the help. It would be nice to have more people going into that field, you know, but it’s kind of difficult… People are trying to do what they can, I guess. More mental health services? There are people that need that sort of thing.” — Galen Olson, Orem
“I don’t know. I think the resources are there, but, as far as getting the people to the resources… I guess, if somebody was trying to look to reach out, maybe they’re not sure where to start. Of course people in school, they have the resources, but, like, somebody that’s struggling or whatever, you know, there are places to go — I think they know where to look, but just, like I said, just getting there… I don’t know.” — Andy Toorts, Orem
Photos and interviews by Tiana Lao, Special to the Daily Herald.
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