Organizers and local school, health officials call for more mental-health resources after Cordele walk

Community members in Cordele City gathered for a Mental Health Awareness Month walk that organizers said aimed to pull mental-health struggles “out of the shadows” and push for more local supports.

Organizer Monica Robinson said the event was intended to normalize mental health and spur collaboration among local partners. “Everyone has someone in their family that deals with something regarding mental health and we fail to realize sometimes that mental health is health,” Robinson said, calling for coordinated efforts in Cordele City and Crisp County to expand resources.

The walk highlighted school-based prevention. Lee Wright, director of the Sphere program within the Crisp County School District, described the program’s emphasis on early identification and support for students. “What I envision is if we can intervene early with students who are having, you know, mental health type problems, uh anxiety ... not feeling supported, not feeling helped. Our program would be designed to intervene early,” Wright said, adding that a single supportive adult can make a critical difference in a student’s success.

A speaker at the event praised the Sphere program’s role in the schools and said its presence showed local early-intervention efforts are taking hold.

Local healthcare providers stood with residents to underline the public-health dimension of mental illness. Marsha Mercer of Crisp Regional Hospital said the turnout sent “a powerful message of solidarity.” “Yes, each and every one of you all, you showed up in support of mental health awareness, but more importantly, you were showing people something powerful that no one has to struggle alone,” Mercer said, noting that mental health affects “every family, every workplace, every school, every community.”

Organizers cautioned that the walk was a starting point and emphasized the need for increased service capacity in the rural area, particularly licensed mental-health workers and psychologists. “Behind every face is a story ... we are in need of um those licensed workers and those psychologists,” a speaker said, urging partners to work together to provide what is needed.

Rick Smarr closed remarks by identifying himself “for the city of Cordele,” and reaffirming the city’s concern and commitment to addressing local mental-health needs. Organizers said they will continue outreach and coordination with schools and health providers to pursue concrete supports for residents.

The event organizers and presenters did not announce specific funding sources, timelines, or new programs during the walk.