CNN —In a new study, researchers say that the experiences of residents of Flint, Michigan, show that environmental disasters like the water crisis can have long-term consequences for mental health.
Flint residents reported changes to the water’s color, smell and taste soon after the city turned to the Flint River as a water source in April 2014.
Researchers found that 1 in 5 Flint residents met the criteria for presumptive major depression, 1 in 4 for presumptive post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and more than 1 in 10 for both disorders.
Eight years after the water crisis began in Flint – even with new pipes and a different water source – some city residents recently told CNN they still don’t trust the water.
In a statement, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health said community mental health centers can provide therapy, peer support and intensive outpatient programs for people in need of psychiatric care and substance abuse treatment.