Despite scarce resources, many in Columbus County are crafting ways to address the mental health crisis in their community. And they're looking for the state of North Carolina to do more.
Blue in Columbus County
Over the coming weeks, The News Reporter and Scalawag will trace mental health and substance abuse in Columbus County, North Carolina, and will look at what is and isn't working as institutions shape how community members face those issues and search for help. In a six-part series, we will explore how opioid use, law enforcement, hospitals, and schools address and are affected by mental health care.
Columbus County faces some of the steepest challenges on this front in North Carolina or the South. But this series will conclude with the good news: Despite the wide reach of the county's crisis, interventions across the board can improve health outcomes. The News Reporter and Scalawag will tackle some possible solutions with implications for Columbus County and communities throughout the South.
