Mental Health and
Community Connectedness
Focuses on improving mental health by creating community connections and supporting youth through safe spaces and resources to build healthy relationships.
Why is this an important health issue in Eau Claire?
The recent Surgeon General report declared an epidemic of loneliness and social isolation, noting the negative health consequences of people not engaging with others in their community. Eau Claire County’s suicide death rate is above both the state and national rate (17 deaths per 100,000 population). Healthy relationships positively impact all people, so it is important to support strategies that increase opportunities for building relationships and community connections to improve mental health.
In recent years, youth surveys at the national, state, and local level show increasing mental health needs among youth. Many factors impact youth mental health, such as in-person and online bullying and a lack of trusted adults in their lives. 49% of high school youth had significant problems with feeling very anxious, nervous, tense, scared, or like something bad was going to happen. Helping youth build healthy relationships and develop coping mechanisms can lead to a lifetime of improved mental health. Mental health is essential to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and the ability to contribute to a community or society.
Goals and
Objectives:
2025-2027
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Objective 3.1: By December 2026, support at least three strategies to increase community access to options for safe and sober spaces for socialization outside of work, school, and home, focusing on areas/ communities with the largest gaps in access.
Objective 3.2: By December 2027, conduct an assessment to identify gaps in transportation to shared spaces and the populations most impacted by gaps; and support at least three strategies to address these gaps.
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Objective 4.1 - By December 2027, at least quarterly each year promote trainings, programs, and resources that equip families with knowledge, skills, and resources to support youth mental health focusing on youth most at risk.
Objective 4.2 - By December 2026, with youth input, identify and implement at least three strategies to connect youth who are not involved in extracurricular activities to programs and resources.
Goals and objectives are developed based on root cause analysis, current evidence, state and national plans, and community input, assets, and readiness. More information on this process can be found in Eau Claire County’s Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan.
Projects:
Suicide Prevention Workgroup
Co-Chairs: Isabella Hong (represents Eau Claire Health Alliance and Chippewa Health Improvement Partnership) and Deb Benoit (represents Health Dunn Right)
Since November 2022, our Mental Health Action Team has partnered with Chippewa and Dunn County coalitions to collaborate specifically on suicide prevention strategies. This tri-county workgroup meets twice a year and subcommittees meet in between meetings to work on strategies related to means restriction and post suicide resources.
Minutes from our past workgroup meetings:
Want to get involved with this workgroup? Email us!
