Johnson County CredibleMind system helps centralize mental health resources

Johnson County CredibleMind system helps centralize mental health resources Categories: Johnson County News Science and Research Johnson County CredibleMind system helps centralize mental health resources Since its launch in 2024, CredibleMind Johnson County has helped to promote access to resources, by putting them together on one website. Lucy Rhein, News Reporter • October 14, 2026 Annika Nelson Board members speak during the Johnson County Board of Supervisors formal meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026 in the Health and Human Services building in Iowa City. Mental health has been an increasingly popular topic of conversation throughout the last several years. Whether it be an individual themselves, or a loved one, who has a mental health condition, chances are it is something most people are familiar with.  According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2024.  While the problem might be well-known and widespread, communities are still working on solutions to adequately meet the needs of the public. Johnson County Public Health specifically has been working to centralize access to mental health treatment through the launch of its specialized CredibleMind website.  The Johnson County CredibleMind system launched two years ago, creating a free website compiling mental health resources for those within the community. CredibleMind is a national program focused on creating websites with mental health resources that can be tailored to a community.  With mental health conditions on the rise in Johnson County and throughout the nation, solutions such as the CredibleMind system can promote access to vetted, valuable resources, by compiling them on a free website. While CredibleMind is a nationally recognized system, Johnson County is one of the only counties in the state of Iowa currently using it.  “It’s [about] expanding and exploring what mental health can look like for you,” Giselle Coreas, public health planner for Johnson County, said. Coreas describes the CredibleMind system as a catch-all for mental health resources throughout Johnson County.  In Johnson County, a health assessment is conducted on the community every three years. Jamie Gade, social determinants of health coordinator for Johnson County Public Health, said over the past several years, Johnson County public health has seen an increase in frequent mental health distress, and poor mental health days among members of the community. “We know a lot of people have access to technology, so this would be a really easy way to help folks get connected to some mental healthcare,” Gade said.  Gade said there can be long wait times when people are waiting to be seen for mental health care. Some people also prefer to do things alone and on their own time, and this website gives them the chance to access resources on their own.  “It’s designed to help folks bridge the gap between seeking mental health care and actually receiving that care,” she said.  After hearing about the CredibleMind system being used nationally, Johnson County officials thought it would be a good way to expand access to resources, and meet the community’s needs. Lisa Parlato, a social epidemiologist for Johnson County, said it was especially helpful for youth with mental health concerns, creating a space for children and adolescents to seek help. “It matched our community needs really well too because youth mental health is something we really want to focus on,” Parlato said. Parlato said based on demographic information given by users on the site, the top two age groups  using the site the most are those under 17 and those aged 18-24. She said there is a specific youth resource page on the CredibleMind website, which shows topics expected to be most relevant to youth, like anxiety, bullying, and health technology use.  RELATED: JoCo support services face funding challenges and work to fill the gap “It’s awesome to see we’re actually reaching the age groups we wanted to focus on with the site,” Parlato said. Because the website is  accessible, it can create a valuable resource for youth in Johnson County. All of the information on the website is vetted by Johnson County public health officials, making it a credible resource for adolescents who are struggling. Since the Johnson County CredibleMind website was launched, it has seen high levels of use from community members. Parlato said since the website was launched it has received about 7,000 visits. Over 600 users have visited the site more than once, and over 150 people have made accounts on the website. “[Registration] is not required to use the site, but if you do register, it can save your progress, like any answers or assessments you’ve taken or any resources that you’ve looked at,” Parlato said. One of the limitations of the website is the fact it is still new. Gade said they have seen a small decrease in poor mental health status since the launching of CredibleMind. But she clarified it is too early to draw concrete conclusions.  She said anecdotally, she has heard from many people about how helpful the site has been in meeting their specific needs. “Anyone who is looking for support can find a topic that is tailored to them,” she said. While the system appears to be going well so far, Gade said she would still like to see more outreach. To help the maximum number of people in the community, they must first learn about the resource.  “It really just takes letting people know about it and that it exists and that it’s free and confidential,” she said.  Gade said the CredibleMind system demonstrates the importance of centralizing resources to promote accessibility. She also said it represents the importance of continuing outreach, even after the resource is launched. The system works best when it is constantly promoted. “It’s one of those things that we can continue to promote,” she said. Coreas mirrored this sentiment of continued promotion. She said she has loved seeing how the system combined different types of mental health outreach, but would like to continue to expand. “Intertwining our work and other people’s duties and responsibilities within the department has been really cool to see,” Coreas said.  Coreas said she hopes to see CredibleMind expanded into other spaces in the future. She said she would love to form partnerships with University of Iowa or UI Health Care in the future, to expand the site, and continue to reach as many community members as possible.  “We would love to see this on school websites consistently throughout the country,” Coreas said. While the CredibleMind system presents many resources for community members to use and seek help, Gade said she wants to clarify that it is only a part of what mental health outreach should look like. Mental health outreach requires different components in order to be most effective.  “The CredibleMind tool is just one tool in our toolbox of all the different things we can do to support mental health in our community,” she said.  Gade also said that the system can only do so much to stop what she considers to be a systemic issue. Having mental health providers available and being able to have timely appointments is something that must still be addressed.  “That’s something we need to continue to look at as a community,” she said. 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story More to Discover More in Johnson County League of Women Voters meets for conversation about election issues JoCo support services face funding challenges and work to fill the gap Colony Acres celebrates 100 years embodying the pumpkin spice life More in News ESPN’s College GameDay makes lasting impact on Iowa City UI Center for Teaching hosts Fall 2026 Teaching Book Club for faculty to learn, connect, recharge, and work toward a better academic environment Over 20 community members speak at ICCSD school board meeting More in Science and Research UI research supports pollinators after endangered bee found in Iowa Iowa Raptor Project hosts bird banding event following Macbride reopening UI partnership receives NIH funding to continue eye disease treatment research About the Contributor Lucy Rhein, News Reporter