Finding help for Racine County mental health resources when times are tough can be a daunting task.

Need information on where school food pickups are? Are you having a difficult time paying your rent? Are you struggling with isolation and stress? For these and several other needs you may have, RacineCountyFamilyResources.com is the spot for you.

This website has a complete and up-to-date resource listing that includes services like energy assistance, advocacy services, financial supports, healthcare information, mental health supports, transportation options, and more.

Get connected with Racine County mental health resources

The website also hosts a library of over 30,000 peer-reviewed articles on various topics such as substance use, when to seek further mental health supports, medication information, and so much more. This is a reliable source of nationally-vetted information, as well as being user-friendly and easy to follow.

This resource tool also has a community calendar that houses events happening all over the City of Racine. The calendar includes online support groups during COVID-19, the Mobile Market schedule, RUSD events, and more. Lastly, the website houses a referral pathway to connect people to mental health support quickly and efficiently. Community members can create a therapy or medication management referral for themselves or their children. This pathway includes providers that are actively taking new clients, take a variety of insurances, and are located throughout the city of Racine.

Life can get complicated, but it doesn’t have to be

We know that mental health stigma is alive and well; this is an easy way to confidentially access services, without even needing to pick up the phone! Mental health stigma shows up as feeling negative about yourself or others for having a mental illness.

When we talk about physical health, we often feel comfortable talking to others about our lab tests or recent autoimmune diagnosis. Most of us do not feel comfortable talking about mental illness or asking if we may have a mental illness. If we got to a point where we could talk about mental health like we talk about physical health, that would be a clear sign that stigma is being reduced in our society.

So why is stigma such a big deal? The Better Health Organization lists the following harmful effects of stigma:

Feelings of shame, hopelessness, and isolation
Reluctance to ask for help or to get treatment
Lack of understanding by family, friends, or others
Fewer opportunities for employment or social interaction
Bullying, physical violence, or harassment
Self-doubt – the belief that you will never overcome your illness or be able to achieve what you want in life

So what do we do about mental health stigma?

The first step is to continue to seek the mental health treatment that you need without fear of being labeled; you are not broken or less-than for seeking support in a time of need. Hiding away and ignoring the problem out of fear of judgment can increase isolation and depressive thoughts. Often the opposite of depression isn’t happiness; it is a connection.

To connect with others you can trust, there is now a resource to access services, RacineCountyFamilyResources.com. Remember that you are not your illness, and the stigma around mental health is not personal to you. Stigma often comes from misunderstanding and mislabeling mental health. It is not unique to your experience even if it feels like it does at the time.