BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Some who work on the front lines of the mental health and addiction crises say media portrayals don’t always present a balanced view of the situation.
That’s the focus of a new episode of the 802 News Podcast with host Mark Johnson.
Public safety has been in the spotlight in Burlington recently, where there have been community concerns about open drug use in the city and those in mental health crisis. Johnson spoke with Beth Holden of the Howard Center, who said people are often struggling with both issues.
“Is it a crisis? Perception-wise, I understand why people see it as a crisis,” Holden said.
She said instead of looking at those involved in an us vs. them situation, people need to show some compassion.
Holden discussed some of the successes the Howard Center has had helping people on their journey of recovery and said those types of successes aren’t reported on as frequently.
They also discussed whether experts are seeing improvements in the mental health of children.