WEST BEND, Wis. — Washington County Health and Human Services offers 24/7 crisis support, but many residents don't know these resources exist until they need them.
"I think sometimes the Health and Human Services Department is the best-kept secret," Health and human services chief officer Julie Driscoll said. "It's not until you need the services that you know it's available.
The county provides a crisis unit, outpatient clinic, case management and temporary recovery options for residents living with mental health issues.
"We really just want to get the word out," she said. "We're here, we're willing, we're ready to service the community, and we want people to know that."
For some residents, seeking help takes time and courage. Town of Hartford Police officer Adam Meyers knows this firsthand.
"It was a rough, long road," he said. "I poorly coped for many, many years."
In 2016 he shot and killed someone wielding an ax inside a Wal-Mart. He said the experience caused extreme trauma and that he made it worse as time went on without addressing its impact on his mental health. Today, Meyers takes medication and attends therapy weekly. He's also launched his own organization called Stop the Threat, Stop the Stigma where he shares his mental health journey with police officers and first responders worldwide.
"As first responders, we always tend to put everybody else first and us second," he said. "We need to take care of each other. It's okay to talk about mental health. You're not alone. Please don't suffer in silence because you're not the only one."
This conversation comes amid concerns about the lack of in-patient options for crisis care in Washington County, an issue TMJ4 first reported in May.
Both Meyers and Driscoll emphasized that open conversations about mental health are crucial for connecting people to appropriate resources.
"It always feels really great when you can meet the needs of somebody," Driscoll said. "And help them move through a very stressful time in their life."
Check out: Washington County mental health services aim to reach more people
"You just don't know what someone's going through, it doesn't matter if they're 6'4 ft tall and full of muscle, or if they're 5'2 ft and weigh 110 lbs," Meyers said. "Mental health is important, and it's the real deal. Everybody experiences it one way or another."
People who want to talk about their mental health can contact Washington County through this link, call 2-1-1 or 9-8-8.
"It's important for me to share my experience in hopes that it will help others, inspire other people to get help," he said. "And if I can just help one more person, that's what it's all about."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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