Mental illness is a growing public health concern. In fact, the Idaho Women's Charitable Foundation has identified it as one of the community's greatest needs.
The IWCF hosted a symposium focused on mental health at Boise State University Wednesday. They fund grants based on where they think the dollars will have the most impact.
Workshops were held on teen and youth suicide, along with how to learn to become more resilient and optimistic.
"You may share a story about your own personal, mental health, you may listen to a story from someone else," said Suzanne Groff Lierz, president of the IWCF. "But, let's get rid of the stigma, let's open up the dialogue because that's the first step in becoming healthy."
Some of the most common types of mental illness include bipolar and anxiety disorders, as well as clinical depression. Many times, those who are struggling with mental health also have an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. They might also suffer from an eating disorder.
The goal for the symposium was to educate those in attendance on the issues surrounding mental health with the hope the information would be further disseminated to the public at large.
