ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The nonprofit CareSource has announced a new mobile mental health unit that will travel across the state. The mobile clinic is focused on providing services for new and expecting moms.

Joanne Patterson, founder of Nurse Practitioners on Wheels, showed us her clinic. The unit features aromatherapy, calming music and a clean environment. Patterson said she tries to take a cozy approach to mental health care.

“Care isn’t as scary as you think it is in terms of mental health. Cozy mental health care is what I am offering,” said Patterson. “I really want people to understand that there are providers who are willing and able to make sure that they’re getting the treatment and the care that they need. And it’s not just about the illness, but it’s about the whole person holistically.”

According to Mental Health America of Georgia, one in seven Georgia moms experience a perinatal mood disorder.

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that four out of five maternal deaths in Georgia are preventable, with mental health disorders accounting for 23% of preventable maternal deaths.

Patterson focuses on people 6 to 55. Her background is in maternal and pediatric mental health.

“I don’t think people really understand what it’s like to be a child and having lots of challenges in life, and there’s a lack of providers that specialize in those two areas, and those are my niches,” said Patterson. “Perinatal mood disorders are actually the number-one complication of the postpartum period, where postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and OCD impact the pregnancy, as well as the postpartum period.”

The new mobile clinic is part of the Wellness on Wheels (WOW) network of providers supported by CareSource. The mobile mental health unit provides CareSource members care through a psychiatric nurse practitioner and will start operating this month in areas that have limited access to mental health care services.

“Approximately a third of Georgians report experiencing a mental health concern such as anxiety or depression, which tracks with national figures, but nearly five million people in our state live in places without enough mental health care services to meet the need,” said Dr. Minh Nguyen, medical director for CareSource Georgia.

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The Chatham County Board of Elections underwent an election systems health check Monday, and the state’s top elections official was on site for the event.

Election systems health checks will be conducted in each of Georgia’s 159 counties in the run up to this year’s presidential election on Nov. 5. The health checks were a plan instituted by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who visited Savannah Monday.

After the health check at the BOE, Raffensperger took to the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce for a press briefing on his office’s efforts to boost confidence in the state’s election systems. The secretary delivered his remarks to a room of about 20 community leaders.

“We want to make sure that this is a peaceful election, that it is quiet,” Raffensperger told the group.

The local election systems health checks focus on the electronic security of the technology on site, although the Department of Homeland Security does its own checks of the building’s physical security, Raffensperger said.

The check entails scanning ballots and making sure those scanners record information properly. Raffensperger said Chatham County passed the test.

“Everything is working according to how it should be,” Raffensperger said in an interview. “The machines are still accurately recording the votes.”

Some of the election security measures Raffensperger mentioned included implementation of the new GARViS voter registration system, which he said is “tailor made” for Georgia and replaces an old system.

The SOS office has also increased encryption levels for people’s personally identifying information. Other efforts to boost confidence in the elections are a set of six “security convenings” where the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DHS and local law enforcement gather to talk about election security issues, Raffensperger said. Those convenings will continue.

“We understand that security is really important, and that’s really our job every day,” Raffensperger said.

Raffensperger also provided an update to the presidential ballot now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race. There is no impact to the ballot in Georgia, because the SOS office does not complete ballots until both parties have chosen a nominee.

The Democratic National Convention is slated for Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. There, delegates will select their nomination for both President and Vice President. Raffensperger said ballot preparation starts that month.

“We’ll be in good shape, and it’s a big process,” Raffensperger said.

Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@gannett.com.

IN OTHER NEWS – New research analyzing health data reveals that nearly a third of Georgia adults feel anxious or depressed.

Release:

• Georgia ranks 14th for states with the largest proportion of adult residents with symptoms of anxiety or depression at 31.77%.
• Mississippi has been identified as the most anxious and depressed state for adults at 35.46%.
• Minnesota has the lowest percentage of the adult population experiencing feelings of anxiety or depression, with only 25.47%. 

New research has named the states where adults are feeling the most anxious and depressed, with Georgia revealed as one of the states that it is the biggest cause for concern.

The study, conducted by mushroom spore specialists SporesMD, analyzed government health data to identify where in America anxiety and depression are the most common in adults.

Both are types of mental disorders, with depression characterized by a low mood that negatively impacts your day-to-day life, while anxiety creates feelings of unease and worry.

According to the findings, Georgia ranks 14th among states where adults are struggling with the two disorders the most, with 31.77% of its adult population reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Mississippi adults are struggling with their mental health the most, with 35.46% of them experiencing the symptoms.

In second is Louisiana, with 34.98% of the state’s adult population feeling anxious or depressed. Oklahoma is third, with 34.54% of adult residents reporting symptoms.

States with the highest percentage of adult population with symptoms of anxiety or depression

At the other end of the scale, anxiety and depression are of least concern among adults in Minnesota, with only 25.47% of the adult population experiencing these disorders.

Vermont is the state with the second lowest percentage of adult residents feeling anxious or depressed at 26.19%. Following very closely in third is Hawaii at 26.24%.

States with the lowest percentage of adult population with symptoms of anxiety or depression

Commenting on the findings, Anthony Bautista, CEO of SporesMD, said:

“As more and more people, particularly young adults, wrestle with anxiety and depression as the mental health crisis continues, it’s crucial that Americans are equipped with the right support and information for dealing with the negative feelings.

“Making healthy lifestyle changes such as exercising more regularly, eating nutritious meals and ensuring you are getting enough sleep can go a long way in boosting your mental health.

“Some people also choose to try alternative coping strategies such as microdosing mushrooms, as evidence suggests it can have a positive impact on your state of mind.

“The experience can introduce you to a fresh, more positive outlook on a current situation that you may be struggling to process, as it can open your mind to a new way of thinking.

“It can be particularly useful to write down how you are feeling on the days that follow to help reaffirm this new perspective.”