Week 7: Art of Storytelling

  1. Story Elements
    1. 5 attention-getters
      1. Compelling statistic
      2. Camden, Allentown, and Reading have been identified as cities where COVID-19 vulnerability and poor mental health overlap – Allentown 61% f residents live in “highly COVID-vulnerable neighborhoods” with high rates of poor mental health
      3. According to one CDC report, which surveyed adults across the U.S. in late June of 2020, 31% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, 13% reported having started or increased substance use, 26% reported stress-related symptoms, and 11% reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past 30 days. These numbers are nearly double the rates we would have expected before the pandemic.
      4. How many people have mental health issues in pa or us
    2. Poll
      1. How many people here have experienced mental health issues?
      2. How many people are aware of the mental health resources available in your community?
    3. Rhetorical question?
      1. How important is mental health in the greater sense
  2. The challenge (5 ways to frame problem)
    1. Mental health resources often remain unutilized by individuals that need them the most.
    2. Maybe talk about mental health stigma?
    3. Lack of access and/or lack of insurance are frequently cited as barriers to mental health resources/treatment
    4. Since there are so many different types of mental health resources, it is difficult to know where to start and who to trust, especially if your mental health issues are already severely impacting your quality of life/motivation.
    5. People often do not prioritize their mental health and receiving care because of family and work priorities.
  3. The journey (short paragraph)
    1. We are creating a comprehensive map with information about various mental health facilities and resources specifically in the low-income communities of Allentown to facilitate the process of finding the right mental health resource. The map website will have a built-in questionnaire to direct people to resources that best meet their needs by factoring in age, race, ethnicity, gender, etc. In parallel to the construction of this map, we are interviewing blue-collar warehouse workers in Allentown in order to document the stories of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using these interviews, we will be looking for common trends within each individual’s story to figure out how local mental health facilities and community organizations can better fit the needs of essential workers. We’re also going to share bits and pieces of people’s stories with their consent via social media to begin combating mental health stigmas that hold people back from seeking treatment. 
  4. The battle (short paragraph about allies)
    1. With help from community organizations such as Promise Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley, and healthcare providers such as St. Luke’s and LVHN, we will connect low-income people of Allentown with mental health services. Through the use of our map and social media outreach, we will increase utilization of health care services and reduce the stigma of receiving mental health care. We will find out what are the major barriers to receiving healthcare that low-income workers face so that the community can better assist them. 
  5. The change (3 diff ways to state solution/outcome/catharsis)
    1. Highlighting ways to increase the effectiveness of available resources
    2. We see an increased use of mental health services in Allentown
    3. People using our product

 

  1. History of the future
  1. What will the world look like if our project is successful?
    1. People, specifically low-income individuals, will have an easier time finding mental health resources that cater to their unique challenges and overall experiences. They will be knowledgeable of the services offered in their community and therefore more likely to seek care if they need it or recommend care to others in the community. In addition, people will feel more comfortable seeking treatment for mental health issues without fear of judgement by their family and friends. We want to teach people to prioritize their mental health like they would their physical health, getting regular checkups so that smaller issues don’t escalate into major problems/traumas. With regard to the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, essential workers who were forced to continue working and put the health of themselves and their families at risk will be given the appropriate resources to deal with the trauma/stress that resulted from this experience. Whether people find help in local community organizations or mental health professionals, they will be happier and healthier overall.
  2. What will the world look like if our project is unsuccessful?
    1. If our project fails, the problem of mental health services being underserved to not only the people of Allentown, but throughout the United States will continue. This in turn perpetuates the mental health stigma within this country. When going through difficult situations, people will not seek out mental health care, but may turn to negative coping mechanisms or fall into a deeper depression. People will continue to deal with mental health issues without seeking professional help and thus, will not be getting the help that they need. If our project fails, the community health will decline and community members and community leaders will notice. Low-income people will feel the effects because they are not being sufficiently served and the status quo of underutilization of mental health care will persist.

Leave a Reply