Finding help in a South Dakota mental healthcare desert

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) – Gaining access to psychological well being providers in a rural space may be tough, a latest examine discovered 47% of South Dakota counties don’t have a psychological well being supplier. In rural South Dakota, psychological well being care providers are usually offered by a nonprofit neighborhood psychological well being middle, similar to Southern Plains Behavioral Well being Providers in Winner.

Lyn lives within the rural neighborhood of Winner however is initially from Phoenix, Arizona. That’s the place she was recognized with Schizophrenia earlier than shifting to South Dakota.

She thought her solely choice was to drive greater than an hour every approach to get to her appointments. “And I used to be going to Chamberlain for my treatment and remedy after they informed me there was a spot right here [Winner]. Which stunned me, as a result of it was such a small city and I couldn’t get to my appointments like I wanted to in Chamberlain,” mentioned Lyn. “As a result of it was so far-off, and the fuel cash, typically I didn’t have it”

“So psychological well being entry in city areas and really in rural areas isn’t a lot completely different. The reason being, it’s in an city setting, like New York Metropolis. For instance, sufferers have simply as a lot of a problem acquiring transportation or funds to get to a supplier as they do in a rural space,” defined Dione Rowe, Lyn’s physician at Southern Plains Behavioral Well being Providers.

When Lyn made the swap to the behavioral well being middle in Winner, she was sick. “I used to be very suicidal. What was my goal in life? I couldn’t give up listening to voices, I couldn’t give up hallucinating, I couldn’t get into the actual world, I felt like I didn’t have a life.”

Rowe adjusted Lyn’s drugs, which made a drastic distinction.

“When she got here to see me in January 2022, I had by no means seen this affected person earlier than in my life. She walked in, she mentioned she was not experiencing any hallucinations. She utilized, received a job, and began working. Her shirt was tucked in, she had lipstick on, and he or she was very alert,” mentioned Rowe.

When requested if Lyn she ever deliberate on serving to others, like at her job she mentioned, “No I wasn’t…I couldn’t assist myself”. Now, her job is one thing she appears ahead to every week. “I get to speak to the purchasers, and you realize it retains me busy, it retains me out of my thoughts.”

Lyn says dwelling in a rural space is healthier for her psychological well being, so getting access to care in her neighborhood provides Lyn the life she needs.

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