The Fight for Mental Health Heats Up in Arizona

No matter your life story, odds are you have struggled with mental health at some point. Depression, anxiety, and stress can all compound and create a very difficult situation to get through.

As the conversation around mental health becomes more digestible across the United States, Arizona residents have found themselves empowered to stand up for what they believe in.

Arizona's Failings

There is so much to love about the great state of Arizona. Its natural beauty, culture, and people cause so many to move here in droves, but after some time here they may discover that there is a huge lack of services to help them.

One study found that Arizona ranks 49th among the 50 states in mental health care. This is an atrocious number, and should have Arizona politicians scrambling to fix that statistic.

While no changes have been made with a permanent impact, residents of Arizona have begun to take a stronger stance on the issue.

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Protests at the Capitol

With no changes in sight, residents took to the streets on Monday to fight for better mental health care. One of the largest issues discussed was the lack of space in mental facilities. According to its population, Maricopa county should have 2,200 beds to help treat psychiatric patients. The real number of beds in Maricopa? 55.

Protestors also began fighting for a voice at the table when it comes to mental health services. When we constantly hear from politicians and they never hear from us, a huge disconnect is created. By having members of the community stand up and discuss our needs with those in charge, we can bring new light to issues that may have never been considered.

The state government is currently in the process of passing House Bill 2782, which would allocate $50 Million towards mental health care across the state.