See all posts in the Carver County Commissioners series
(Hear from Carver County Commissioners is a regular feature where Carver County commissioners share updates, insights, and messages with their communities. Commissioner Lisa Anderson, District 1 is providing the current edition.)
What if we could prevent a problem before it happened? Truth is, in many cases, we can.
This concept — called Upstream Thinking — has been around for years, and it’s the subject of the book Upstream by Dan Heath. Heath’s work shows both the power of solving problems before they occur and the very real barriers that keep us stuck reacting instead of preventing.
The book opens with a parable often attributed to sociologist Irving Zola:
You and a friend are having a picnic by a river when you hear a shout — someone’s drowning. You jump in, pull the child to shore, and before you can catch your breath, another cry for help comes. Then another. Soon, you and your friend are swimming frantically to save child after child. Suddenly, your friend climbs out of the river. “Where are you going?” you ask.
“Upstream,” your friend replies, “to stop the guy who’s throwing all these kids in the water.”
That’s the essence of upstream thinking — tackling the cause, not just the symptoms.
No Heroes, No Headlines
One of the best real-world examples is the invention of the home smoke detector. It has saved countless lives by detecting danger early. But here’s the catch: there are no dramatic rescues, no firefighters pulling people from burning buildings, no headlines. The fire is prevented before it ever begins.
And that’s one of the reasons upstream work is so hard to prioritize — prevention is quiet. In government, the “big saves” often get more attention than the quiet work that stops disasters before they happen. But what if we shifted our thinking?
Already Going Upstream
In many ways, Carver County’s Health and Human Services is already in the upstream business:
- Carver County Mental Health Services
Provides a range of services, including crisis intervention, outpatient therapy, day treatment for adolescents, case management, and community support programs to individuals experiencing mental illness, emotional/behavioral disorders, or difficulties adjusting to life changes. The aim is to help individuals achieve optimal wellness and independence. - Find Food Carver County
An online and hotline resource that connects residents with local food shelves, meal programs and grocery assistance before hunger becomes a health crisis. - Family Resources Center
A community driven hub for specific services related to essential needs (food, healthcare), behavioral health/medical, housing, transportation, disability and multicultural needs and employment. Family Resource Center (FRC) is a proactive space where families can go to receive collocated services, resources and connections focused on supporting both parents and children. - School-Based Mental Health Services
Counselors placed directly in schools provide early support for anxiety, depression and stress — reducing suspensions, truancy and dropouts. - Car Seat Safety Checks
Free inspections catch incorrect installations before an accident happens, keeping children safe on the road. - Fall Prevention for Seniors
Simple home safety checks — removing loose rugs, adding grab bars — help seniors stay safe and independent, avoiding costly hospital stays. - Free Bike Helmets for Kids
Instead of treating head injuries in the ER, the county partnered with local nonprofits to hand out hundreds of bike helmets each year. Injuries prevented = ER visits avoided.
The Ultimate Upstream Issue
For every $1 we spend upstream on mental health, we can save $10 downstream in emergency care, incarceration and lost productivity.
- Mental Health: Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being — how we think, feel, act, handle stress and connect with others.
- Mental Illness: Diagnosable conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and addiction that impair daily life.
- Mental Wellness: The proactive habits — resilience, stress management, healthy relationships — that strengthen our mental health and prevent illness.
Just like changing the oil in your car prevents engine damage, investing in mental wellness prevents more serious breakdowns later. But when prevention isn’t enough, professional help is essential. Untreated mental illness rarely improves on its own — it’s a disease like any other and deserves timely treatment.
Where Can You Go Upstream?
Think about how you already care for yourself and your community — regular checkups, safe driving, locking your doors, checking smoke alarms. Those are all upstream moves.
Now ask:
- How can I invest in my mental health?
- How can I support others before they’re in crisis?
- How can we as a community address root causes instead of chasing symptoms?
An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure — and upstream thinking is how we get there.
If you or someone you love is struggling to function day to day, don’t wait for things to get worse. Make an appointment with your primary care provider or a mental health professional. Early help can change the course entirely — before the river gets too full.
