Author: Dr. Jenny McCormack Walker, Literacy Texas Executive Director
My dad and I had a complicated relationship. I loved him, and I know he loved me, but his mental health and substance use issues kept him from being the parent I needed and kept our family in a constant state of instability and stress. He refused to get help, and he lost his career, his family, and his health in the process.
By 2018, he was homeless.
My dad later told me about how he began having terrible headaches with pain so intense that he would pass out. His appearance reflected his lifestyle, so health care providers were understandably suspicious when he walked into a local health clinic complaining of headaches and asking for medicine to help with the pain. He was sent away multiple times with acetaminophen.
As my dad’s visits to the clinic became more frequent, one doctor decided – out of frustration with his persistent request for pain medicine – to order an MRI to prove to my dad there was nothing wrong.
The MRI revealed that a large brain tumor was causing his headaches, and subsequent tests found that his cancer was aggressive and had spread throughout his entire body. Without his mental health and substance use issues, he might have found the disease earlier and had a chance to fight it. Instead, he died a few months later.
Our family’s story is not as uncommon as one might think. According to research from the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, there are 1.6 million Texans struggling with substance use disorder, and a vast majority are receiving no intervention. It is common for them to also have mental health concerns.
When I began my work in adult literacy, I realized that many of my students struggled with these issues. They reminded me of my dad, and I realized that I owed it to these adult learners – and the children in their homes – to use my experience to ensure our health literacy program included education about mental health and substance use. My hope was to turn our personal tragedy into something very positive.
As part of our program, we connected with mental health providers in our community to find free or low-cost services, and we invited social work interns from the local university to join our team. We also partnered with a local chapter of Narcotics Anonymous to host weekly meetings in one of our classrooms. I did not sit in on the meetings, but the highlight of my week was knowing that room would become a safe space for a community of men and women learning how to create a healthier life.
As organizations are looking to begin or expand health literacy at their learning centers, I encourage leaders to remember mental health and substance use as important components to a well-rounded program. I cannot help but think about how those supports might have made a difference for my dad and for our family.
October is Health Literacy Month, and we’re focusing on health-related topics throughout the month. Find general resources here, and plan to join us at Best of Texas: Health Literacy on October 31.
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