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Behavioral Health Services for the Kansas City Northland community. Prevention, assessment and treatment services for individuals and families throughout Clay, Platte and Ray counties
 Sally King is representing the Northland on a new state group looking at mental health issues for older adults. |
Sally will represent the Aging and Mental Health Coalition of Kansas City North. The work, part of a form Missouri Department of Mental Health initiative, involves the newly formed Mental Health Aging Workgroup of the Department’s Office of Transformation.
“What that means is we are looking at the needs of older adults,” she said. “It’s a fairly significant step.”
One area being examined includes dual-diagnosis issues that involve both mental health and substance abuse. A big part of existing efforts by Tri-County—which created one of the first programs in Missouri—dual diagnosis can often take the form of someone with depression resorting to inappropriate use of pharmaceuticals, alcohol or other substances.
Perhaps the largest area being examined is the overall mental health issue for older adults, which until now has been ignored by many older adults and professionals.
“Many people just had not really recognized that mental health can become an issue as we age,” Sally said. “And it’s an issue that we’re not really meeting. Older adults are not a very vocal group but they suffer from chronic bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health issues just like everyone else. And with people living longer, these are issues that can last for years, even decades if they’re not treated.”
Also becoming more widely known are mental health issues unique to older adults, such as late-onset depression.
“That’s where people have held it together through most of their life but they get over 50 or so and can’t work and they’ve lost their insurance. There’s a host of problems—they’re at higher risk for things like heart attack and diabetes as well. Those go hand in hand because immunity is often lower with depression. One of biggest reasons people go to nursing homes is because of that combination.”
Sally said the Department of Mental Health recognition of these issues and the need to address them is significant. “It’s a good group because we have nursing home administrators and others that make a good broad-based representation,” she said. The Kansas City North group, which was founded by Tri-County, was one of the few community organizations included.
Tri-County Mental Health Services, 3100 NE 83rd St., Suite 1001, Kansas City, MO 64119-9998
Telephone: (816) 468-0400 Fax: (816) 468-6635 • 24-Hour Emergency Service Crisis Line 1-888-279-8188
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