Saginaw Health and Wellbeing

Home / Health priority

Mental Health & Substance Use

Mental health is part of everyday health. Here is what Saginaw County data shows, what raises and lowers risk, and where to find support close to home.

If you are struggling right now, you can call or text 988 any time to talk with someone. It's free and private.

Data highlights

Mental health

  • 18%

    of adults had poor mental health on 14 or more days in the past month.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)
  • 22%

    of adults have been told by a doctor that they have a depressive disorder.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)
  • 52%

    of people who took the community survey said their mental health was not good on at least 6 days in the past month.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)
  • 36%

    said their mental health got somewhat or much worse since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)

If these numbers sound familiar, you are not alone. Feeling this way is common, and support works. Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority answers its crisis line 24 hours a day at (989) 792-9732.

Substance use

  • 19%

    of adults reported excessive drinking.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)
  • 17%

    of teens reported using marijuana.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)
  • 38%

    of high school students who drink said they got alcohol from someone who gave it to them. Adults can help by keeping alcohol out of teens' hands.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)

Teens who were drunk in the past 30 days

Percent of high school students, by race and ethnicity

Black students 28%
White students 44%
Hispanic or Latino students 36%
0%25%50%75%100%

Summary: Among Saginaw County high school students, White students reported the highest rate of being drunk in the past 30 days (44%), followed by Hispanic or Latino students (36%) and Black students (28%). Every group is affected, so prevention needs to reach all students.

Source: BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition (2023).
Show the data as a table
GroupPercent
Black students28%
White students44%
Hispanic or Latino students36%

Deaths from drug poisoning and opioids

  • 33.7per 100,000

    people die from drug poisoning each year.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)
  • 27.95per 100,000

    people die from opioid-related causes.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)

What does "per 100,000 people" mean?

It's a fair way to compare places of different sizes. A rate of 33.7 per 100,000 means that for every 100,000 people living here, about 34 died from drug poisoning in one year.

Treatment works, and recovery is possible. The SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 is free, confidential, and open 24/7 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], n.d.-b).

Gaps in care

Not everyone who needs mental health or substance use treatment gets it. When people were asked why, common answers were that they thought they could handle it on their own, or they didn't know where to find services (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023).

  • 49%

    of LGBTQ+ people who took the survey said they needed mental health or substance use treatment but did not get it.

    (BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)

Not sure where to start? Dial 211 to be connected with local services, or browse the Community Resources page.

Risk factors and protective factors

Risk factors make problems more likely. Protective factors help people stay well and bounce back.

Risk factors

  • Poverty and money stress
  • Losing a job or being out of work
  • Losing health insurance
  • Stress from the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Easy access to alcohol for teens, from adults or others
  • Not knowing where to find services
  • Stigma, or the belief that people should "handle it themselves"

Protective factors

  • A steady job and income
  • Health insurance and access to care
  • Knowing where to find local services
  • Supportive adults and community connections
[Placeholder: add more protective factors from your continued research, with citations.]
(BWell Saginaw Partner Coalition, 2023)

Local help

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Free, private support any time, for any kind of emotional distress or substance use crisis.

  • Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority (SCCMHA)

    24-hour crisis line: (989) 792-9732. Local mental health and recovery services for county residents.

  • SAMHSA National Helpline

    Call 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential treatment referrals, 24/7. Search for treatment near you at FindTreatment.gov.

  • Michigan 2-1-1

    Dial 211 to reach local help with food, housing, utilities, and more.

See all community resources

Infographic, blog, and podcast

Health messages made for this site. Everything opens right here on the page, with nothing to download.

Infographic

Coming soon: Infographic

A one-page visual guide to mental health and substance use in Saginaw County.

Blog post

Coming soon: Blog post

The full post will appear here as regular text you can read on any phone.

Podcast

Coming soon: Podcast episode

An audio player will appear here so you can listen without leaving the page.

Read transcript
Coming soon: Transcript

The full written transcript will go here.

Back to top