Thank you for the article “As Westmoreland’s suicide numbers rise, ‘we have to talk about it’ ” (Dec. 30, TribLIVE) and the editorial “Address suicide by respecting mental health” (Jan. 2, TribLIVE).

Society has long ignored the diseases of mental illness and cast them into the shadows of blame and shame. Mental illness is an illness. It’s not a character flaw. We need to care for our mental health in the same ways we value our physical health. Our organization’s tagline is “There can be no health without mental health,” as science has shown that our mind and body are connected. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

We seek treatment for our physical health. Why don’t we do the same for our mental health? Why don’t we fund mental health services adequately so those who need services can access them? Workforce challenges in the mental health field exacerbate the situation. The need has never been greater, and funding needs to be increased to meet this need that impacts us all. When people die by suicide or have a mental illness, their pain creates a ripple effect for loved ones, friends, neighbors and communities.

It is important to know there is help and there is hope. We must properly fund services to meet the increased need. We must talk about it, and bring this issue out of the shadows.

Laurie Barnett Levine

South Greensburg

The writer is chief executive officer of Mental Health America of Southwestern PA (MHASWPA.org) and vice chair of the Ray of Hope Suicide Awareness and Prevention Task Force (rayofhopewestmoreland.org).

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