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The landing page for the Door County site on CredibleMind, a free, online mental health resource. Screenshot.<\/p>\n
The service combats misinformation, costly care and long waitlists<\/p>\n
Mental Health awareness is at an all-time high \u2013 but so is misinformation. A 2025 investigation by The Guardian<\/a> found that 52% of the top 100 TikTok videos offering mental health advice contained false or misleading information.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the same time, getting professional help isn\u2019t always easy. Nearly 40% of Wisconsinites who needed mental health care last year said cost was a barrier, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness<\/a>. Others with coverage often find themselves on long waitlists.<\/p>\n In an effort to make reliable information and resources available to community members at any time, for free, the Door County Department of Public Health began a partnership with CredibleMind, an online, evidence-based organization out of the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.<\/p>\n The county has contracted with CredibleMind since April 2024, launching doorcounty.crediblemind.com<\/a>. Within the first few weeks, the portal has had more than 4,000 unique visitors, according to public health strategist Shauna Blackledge.<\/p>\n The site hosts mental health assessments, podcasts and activities as well as a directory of local resources, set up by Door County Public Health. Topics covered range from general anxiety and depression to substance abuse, caregiving and nutrition.<\/p>\n For example, if someone visits the \u201csleep\u201d topic, they can not only learn more about how to get a good night\u2019s sleep, but also assess their sleep quality and find expert-backed recommendations for sleep-tracking apps.<\/p>\n Users can then personalize their account by saving modules that work for them and filtering search functions to suit their needs better.<\/p>\n This variety helps meet the many needs of a community, Blackledge said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one thing works for everybody, and I feel like this [CredibleMind] gives you unlimited things to try,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The platform understands mental health as a continuum that changes throughout one\u2019s life. So while someone may not deal with mental illness in their life, they can still go through periods of languishing due to personal stress. Conversely, those diagnosed with mental illnesses are not always in the throes of struggle.<\/p>\n As such, taking preventative measures to maintain one\u2019s mental health even if they are currently flourishing can be advantageous, especially in an area with a provider shortage like Door County, Blackledge said.<\/p>\n \u201cI really think it\u2019s so important to be proactive about your well-being and your mental health,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s just a lot of pieces to this [CredibleMind] that allow people to find what works for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Mental health care providers in the county can also direct their patients to CredibleMind for extra support and guidance.<\/p>\n In an effort to share this resource with one of the most vulnerable populations \u2013 teenagers \u2013 Door County Public Health has shared the site with the local school districts, encouraging them to direct students there for mental health questions rather than indiscriminately searching the internet.<\/p>\n In 2023, 59% of high school students in Wisconsin reported that they experienced at least one mental health challenge in the last year, but only 20% reported that they consistently received help when they needed it, according to the Department of Public Instruction<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Teens are often more reluctant to seek help in the first place, Blackledge explained, and, if they\u2019re under 18, also face more barriers to receiving care.<\/p>\n \u201cI know sometimes it can be hard to go to an adult with a problem,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Ages 13-17 represent the top demographic of registered users on CredibleMind.<\/p>\n \u201cThis tool lets you get an understanding of how you\u2019re feeling and some ideas of how to cope,\u201d Blackledge said. \u201cA lot of it is coping mechanisms, learning those, but also having a place to check in and see if what you\u2019re feeling is normal.\u201d<\/p>\n