The efforts you are seeing take place to tackle the issue of mental health are paying off across the state and right in Door County. A study by Mental Health America showed that Wisconsin is ranked number one regarding mental health. The study indicates that Wisconsinites are getting the help they need to address their mental health needs, among other factors. Nationwide, there is one mental health provider for 270 people that may need their services. In Door County, that number balloons up to one for every 710 people. That is why the STRIDE Program through the United Way of Door County has been so important. Developed in 2018, STRIDE (Strengthening, Trust and Resilience, Instilling Independence, and Discovering Empowerment) removed the barriers to mental health services for Door County youth by putting a provider in all five Door County school districts during classroom hours. Community Impact Coordinator Cami Peggar says it is paying dividends.

Peggar is proud that Wisconsin is leading the way in addressing its citizens' mental health concerns. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, one in five U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2020. Less than half of those people (46 percent) received treatment for their mental illness.