Page 64 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Summer 2022 - Online Magazine

OPPORTUNITY
TO
West Texas Serve

Mental Wellness

FIRST RESPONDERS FIRST

by Ben McCauley

eadlines are saturated with news Because of the stressful nature of their a disproportionate prevalence of
of a mental health crisis. Sadly, jobs, we believe we need to start with conditions such as depression, anxiety,
Hepidemic is a more appropriate the people who protect and serve us— PTSD, and suicidal ideation.
word. Just like the pandemic, not many military and first responders. They
people are unaffected by the subject of have held the line at home and abroad, According to this article from Psychiatric
mental health. Those of us in the mental especially during the pandemic, and Times:
health field are seeing a rise in demand often at great personal cost. In the future
for our services. Unfortunately, many we plan to extend our services to sex- • 69% of EMT responders don’t get time
individuals are experiencing a financial trafficking survivors, and others who to recover between traumatic events.
squeeze at a time when they need access need help but have difficulty finding it • PTSD is up to 5x more common in first
to care. While some employers and because of socioeconomic limitations. responders than the general population.
insurance companies provide mental
health access, it is often limited and While we will work with any At West Texas Mental
difficult to navigate, and many providers community-based mental health Wellness, we believe it's time
do not accept insurance. It is in this provider, we are excited to announce a
context that we opted to start a local non- partnership with DENOVO Therapy. For we take care of the people
profit. any recipient of support from West Texas who take care of us.
Mental Wellness,
Because of the critical need for mental DENOVO Therapy
health care, innovation in the mental has committed
health space, and access to care, we are to discount
excited to announce the creation of West its services to
Texas Mental Wellness. cover overhead
only, effectively
The mission of West Texas Mental matching your
Wellness is to expand access and donation.
enhance mental health treatment to
military, first responders, and the West Last year,
Texas community. We are a donation- DENOVO Therapy
based nonprofit. Our goal is to secure gave away $35,784
the best cutting-edge innovations in care to Veterans
in mental health for veterans, first and Active
responders, and eventually, any resident military, medical
in our community. We seek to provide and mental health
innovative mental health services care workers,
that often are not available through EMS/Fire/Law
traditional services or are not covered by Enforcement,
insurance. Our target population often and teachers
needs services like trauma-informed and students.
therapy, ketamine, or EMDR that have Their innovation
limited availability in the community. in the mental
Our goal is that 95% of every dollar health space and
we receive goes directly to therapeutic their existing
interventions. commitment to
the community
We use the donations from people like make them an
you to provide therapy and ketamine- ideal partner for
based treatment for military, EMTs, West Texas Mental
paramedics, fire fighters, police officers, Wellness.
and nurses. We care deeply about our
West Texas community, and we are First responders
invested in making it better. experience

64 Lubbock Senior Link