LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada is now getting more representation in it's fight against mental health.
KTNV's Paulina Bucka spoke to Dr. Sheldon Jacobs, who is now sitting on the national board of "Nami."
Nami stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It's the largest grassroots organization who has been helping states and cities with their fight on mental health.
Dr. Sheldon Jacobs is also Las Vegas resident who is now representing the silver state.
"The one thing I'm most excited about is the peace and advocacy I would be able to advocate," he said. "Really being able to advocate for our state that we know lacks resources, and we're last in a lot of metrics across the country when it comes to mental health."
In a city that never sleeps, and is driven by the tourist and gaming industry, the dark underbelly of the industry is driven by mental health.
Jacobs also says other organizations have been stepping up to help.
However, during the pandemic, and even before then, we've seen Nevada and Las Vegas consistently score low for their efforts in helping mental health.
"For a while, Nevada has gotten overlooked on many levels when it comes to many different things," he said. "So I think mental health hasn't been any different."
In his day job, Jacobs is a licensed professional who also battled mental health, and has now made it his mission to help the efforts here in the valley.
Now that he sits on the national board of the organization, he says this experience will help him achieve that message.
