Mental Health, Housing, and Hunger Are Connected. We See It Every Day.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. For many people in our community, mental health challenges don’t happen in isolation. They’re often connected to housing, food, and financial stability.

At the Council of Community Services, we see this every day. In 2025, our shelter served an average of 30 individuals each month. Of those, an average of 24 people reported having a mental health condition. That’s the majority of the people walking through our doors, and it reflects something we see every day: mental health, housing instability, and access to food are closely connected.

Across Wyoming, about 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition each year. In Campbell County, about 8.5% of residents are living in poverty. These numbers help explain part of the picture, but the reality is more personal. When someone is struggling with their mental health, it can make it harder to keep up with work, manage bills, or maintain stable housing. Over time, that instability can lead to losing a place to live.

At the same time, losing housing can make mental health worse. The stress of not knowing where you’ll sleep, how you’ll stay safe, or what comes next adds up quickly. For many of the individuals we serve, it’s not one issue or the other. It’s both, happening at the same time.

Food insecurity is often part of that same cycle. When someone doesn’t have reliable access to meals, it affects more than physical health. It becomes harder to focus, regulate emotions, and manage anxiety or depression. We see how much of a difference something as simple as a consistent meal can make. It creates a small sense of stability in an otherwise unpredictable situation.

Housing, mental health, and hunger don’t show up separately. They overlap, and they reinforce each other. That’s why our approach at CCS is simple. We start with immediate needs. A place to sleep. A meal. A safe, consistent environment. From there, people are in a better position to begin addressing everything else, including their mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. If you’d like to support this work or learn more, visit ccsgillette.org.

Sources: 

Addressing the Impact of Mental Health & Poverty in AmericaM ental H ealth in W yomingU.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Campbell County, Wyoming