“Experts say West Virginians’ poor mental health stems from a complex mix of problems, including high rates of poverty and substance use coupled with a fierce, deep-seated culture of independence that stigmatizes psychological help. But the state is also battling a shortage of mental health providers, a gap that can become a potential life-or-death issue for those in crisis.

‘A major factor is the lack of health providers,’ says Dr. Suzanne Holroyd, chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine in Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. While the problem is most acute in the hinterlands, she says, even larger West Virginia cities are dealing with it – including Huntington, home to her university.”