Wayne County Health Assessment shows concerns over mental health issues

A recent survey showed that many people in Wayne County believe mental health, drug abuse, and child abuse/neglect to be among the top health issues facing the county. The Wayne County Community Health Assessment 2020 showed that 65% of people in the county believe mental health issues to be the top health concern facing the county, but that drug abuse and child abuse and neglect were also main concerns.  Those concerns became exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic that set in last year. Mental health issues came to the forefront during the pandemic, as more people began seeking help for the first time due to issues linked to the pandemic, such as isolation and depression. However, research done during the assessment showed that the number of people waiting to see a prescriber went down significantly for both adults and children.