GROWTH Necessary
GROWING ISOLATION
In her six years working at the Lucas County Health Department, Mahjida Stef ! n has held numerous roles. She spent two years working in tobacco and nicotine prevention before transitioning to her most recent position as the opioid program prevention counselor. Her background has led her to work closely with people dealing with substance abuse and ! nd some of the underlying causes that often lead to years of addiction. “We’re pretty high up there,” she said. “Ohio has 88 counties, and we’re ranked in the top 20 of overdoses.” Stef ! n says there’s a mental health crisis that accounts heavily for these rates. The growing isolation caused by restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic and other recent events has only intensi ! ed this issue. “We’ve seen so many of these changes affecting the people in this community. Leading into the social unrest that was surrounded by George Floyd’s killing was also massively destructive on mental health. It really divided people. That happening at the same time as uncertainties surrounding a major pandemic was really detrimental.” While Stef ! n says the conversations around the protests for racial justice are important, people dealing with mental and behavioral challenges can often be triggered, fueled, and even overlooked, among these events. “Ultimately, all of these things are public health issues, which makes what my team and I do even more necessary.”
“Ultimately, all of these things are public health issues, which makes what my team and I do even more necessary.”
- Mahjida Stef ! n, Lucas County Health Department
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