On a good day, dealing with mental health issues can be stressful for those who suffer them. Add a pandemic that forces people to stay at home and away from others, and these issues can be greatly exacerbated.

Butler County deserves credit for supporting an initiative last week that would seek state funding for mental health services.

The county said the aim of the initiative, which is led by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, is to increase state funding for specific psychiatric services. The county noted that funding for such services has remained “static” in past years, and that the need for the services was there long before COVID-19 swept through the state.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that existing mental health issues are being made worse by the epidemic.

Stress during outbreaks can lead to declining mental health conditions, which can in turn result in changes in sleep or eating patterns, increased use of drugs or alcohol, exacerbated chronic health problems and increased feelings of fear and anxiety.

A spokeswoman for the National Institute of Mental Health’s traumatic stress research program recently told The Washington Post that not only have U.S. hospitals been unprepared for the number of people affected by COVID-19, but the outbreak has also led to a mental health crisis because the nation’s mental health system is underfunded and difficult to access during the pandemic.

Mental health experts have warned that COVID-19 could inspire extreme reactions from people already suffering from mental health issues — including substance abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.

Counties around the state currently provide such services as case management, supportive housing programs, crisis services and peer support.

Brandon Savochka, Butler County’s human services director, said the current amount of base funding that’s provided would not meet the needs of people seeking mental health services. He added that the initiative to increase state funding would ensure that necessary services would not be removed from the county due to an inability to provide funding for them.

With the effects of COVID-19 continuing to play out in our communities, the county’s support for this initiative couldn’t come at a better time. We hope that any additional funding the county receives is enough to ensure that mental health programs remain intact.