Johnson County Public Health has partnered with the platform CredibleMind to curate a website to promote the mental well-being of those searching for resources.
This free website launched on Tuesday, Oct.1, and will stay live through October 2026. If the site gets enough traction, the county will invest to keep it up longer, Health Planner for Johnson County Giselle Coreas said. The HealthyJoCo site offers podcasts, videos, apps, articles, and self-assessments that community members can utilize at their own discretion.
The materials are available in English and Spanish. Depending on website traffic, Johnson County could decide to expand the language options.
Coreas and her team expressed excitement over the website launch and recognized the importance of taking initiative for mental health services in the community.
“Mental health helps us understand the ability of how we are managing stress, how to build relationships and make decisions every day, it’s about emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing, and it is vital in every stage of life,” Coreas said.
Offering this expert-vetted service will aid those who have long wait times to visit providers, Coreas said. Those who may not have insurance or simply are curious and want to self-assess can also utilize this service.
Johnson County partnered with CredibleMind to make an accessible resource for anyone in the community to take advantage of. HealthyJoCo covers over 150 topics ranging from stress, anxiety, depression, substance use, and more.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in February 2021, 42.2 percent of adults in Iowa reported symptoms of anxiety or depression.
CredibleMind creates websites like HealthyJoCo to increase access to local resources. The Johnson County Public Health Department has curated the site with local resources such as GuideLink Center, Abbe Community Mental Health Center, and the Domestic Violence Intervention Program in mind.
RELATED: A deeper look into Iowa Gov. Reynolds’ proposed mental health system realignment
“Mental health, substance use issues, and suicide are on the rise. The more initiatives and options that we have for people, the more likely we are to be able to tackle some of the issues our communities are seeing,” Executive Director of the GuideLink Center Abbey Ferenzi said.
It is not recommended to use this website in crisis unless you are looking for a place to go.
“If you are in a mental health crisis, that’s not where you want to start. You would want to dial 988, call a local crisis team or crisis line, or perhaps even come to GuideLink Center where we have walk-in hours 24-seven,” Ferenzi said.
Customer Success Manager at CredibleMind Emily Heckroodt says that this resource can be a solution for those who want to explore their mental health without committing to therapy or visiting a psychiatrist before they are ready.
Heckroodt encouraged users to explore the site at their own pace because they might find something useful that they would not have found anywhere else.
Anyone who creates a free account and completes the Mental Health Check-In assessment between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 will be entered into a $100 gift card drawing sponsored by CredibleMind.
“[HealthyJoCo] is able to narrow down some fear and the stigma around mental health,” Coreas said. “We understand that it’s very much still prevalent in different cultures and in today’s society. To increase mental health information and light around it is important. So, we’re excited for CredibleMind to be that initiative for people to explore at their own pace and what they’re comfortable with.”