Study: Half of mentally ill adults go untreated

About half of adults in South Dakota with severe bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are not receiving treatment, a new study found.

Of the nearly 21,000 adults diagnosed in the state, more than 10,000 go day-to-day with their illness untreated, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center.

The nonprofit works to eliminate barriers preventing timely and effective mental health treatment. Using schizophrenia and bipolar prevalence statistics from the National Institute of Health and recent U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, the group created a state by state break down on the number of untreated people in each state.

“We have a long way to go before people with mental health illnesses are able to get access to treatment at an equitable rate in South Dakota, and in our country,” said Wendy Giebink, state director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

The numbers are likely driven by the continuous stigma associated with mental health, the need for community-based resources, and access to affordable care, she said.

The dearth of services to address these issues are glaringly apparent to those tasked with finding solutions, but finding money to expand them often seems out of reach, said Barry Tice, director of Health and Human Services in Pennington County.

In the meantime, finding ways to collaborate and better use existing resources are key to serving more people, Tice said.

“I think that a piece of (the solution) is evaluating what agencies are doing and what we can do different or better,” he said.

Consequently, if mental illness go untreated for too long, a person could find themselves in the criminal justice system.

In Minnehaha County, the Alliance program identifies those repeat offenders who aren't receiving treatment and get them the help they need.

“Really what becomes a struggle is when they are left untreated and their judgement is impaired,” said Kari Benz, director of human services for Lincoln and Minnehaha Counties.

Benz said, far too often, jail becomes a de facto treatment for those diagnosed with mental illness. The program tries to intercept some of men and women passing through the jail and get the on track.

“No one wants to live that way,” said “It’s a stressful and emotionally tacking lifestyle.”