MARSHALL — A need for better access to mental health resources was one of the big concerns found by a community health assessment in southwest Minnesota, representatives of Southwest Health and Human Services said recently. Now, SWHHS is helping to make free mental health information and resources available with a new online service.

Area residents now have access to CredibleMind, a free website with information on health-related topics, self-assessments, and links to community mental health resources in the six-county SWHHS service area. SWHHS covers Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Pipestone, Murray and Rock counties.

“We are thrilled to launch CredibleMind in Southwest Minnesota,” said Public Health Director Carol Biren. “This remarkable resource will provide residents in our communities with enhanced access to tools and resources necessary for prioritizing health and wellbeing.”

Mental health resources were one of the key area health needs found in a community health assessment that SWHHS does every five years, said Ann Orren, community public health supervisor at SWHHS.

“We’ve seen that mental health has risen to the top,” Orren said. A 2023 Adult Health Survey also found that 29% of respondents in southwest Minnesota reported experiencing a mental health condition, SWHHS said.

Orren said SWHHS looked for resources that might help people support their mental health. They learned about the CredibleMind platform through the Association of City and County Health Organizations. Public health organizations in some Minnesota counties, including Olmsted and Waseca counties, have already launched mental health sites through CredibleMind, Orren said.

“It looked like a really great resource,” she said. Olmsted County had also received a lot of positive feedback, she said.

The SWHHS CredibleMind site offers mental health and wellbeing resources that are free, confidential and available 24/7, Orren said. The site is available in English and Spanish, she said. In addition to mental health topics, the site offers information and resources on managing stress, parenting, getting better sleep, and more. “It’s all professionally vetted,” with accurate and up-to-date information, Orren said.

Besides informational articles, videos and podcasts, the CredibleMind site has links to community health and counseling resources in the six-county area.

In a news release on the CredibleMind launch, SWHHS said site users’ information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with any organization. Aggregate data on the number of users and the most-viewed topics on the site will be used to help develop future resources, but the data is not tracked by individual users, SWHHS said.

While the website will be free for users, Orren said SWHHS will pay a subscription for the CredibleMind service in its area. Costs for the first year will be about $13,000, and $21,000 a year for the next two years, Orren said.

Area residents can browse the CredibleMind website or sign up for an account at swmn.crediblemind.com.