SEAFORD, Del. - Help is on the way for those struggling with behavioral health issues. TidalHealth Nanticoke recently received a grant to develop a dedicated, private and safe behavioral health treatment area within its emergency department.
The award, which is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was supported by Sen. Tom Carper and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester as part of a larger grant process for fiscal year 2023.
The President of TidalHealth Nanticoke, Penny Short, told CoastTV News that an expansion of care for mental health services is greatly needed in the Seaford area.
"We see patients everyday that come in here in crisis and there's a deficit in the amount of providers we have to provide those services," Short said. "Sometimes the patients have to stay here for extended periods of time, trying to get into a facility."
Mental and behavioral health: What's the difference?
According to the CDC, behavioral health describes the connection between a person's behaviors and the health and well-being of the mind and body. It has more to do with specific actions people take and how they respond in various scenarios. Two people experiencing similar emotions could exhibit different ways of reacting.
Mental health, on the other hand, includes emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how people think and feel. It also helps determine how one handles stress and relates to others.
A recent study from the CDC showed that children and teens visit the emergency department more often during the school year than the summer for mental and behavioral health concerns. Specifically, visits from students from ages 10 to 17 were up twice as high when school was in session during the period between 2018 and this past June.