What is wrong?
It has become increasingly more difficult to get treatment for mental illness.
Symptoms of mental illness:
Hallucinations of any kind.
Depression.
Acute manic episode.
Catatonia.
Schizophrenia (out of touch with reality, delusional, paranoia, confused thoughts and speech).
Psychosis.
Suicidal thoughts.
Homicidal thoughts.
And more.
In the late 1990’s a person could sign themselves in to a hospital psychiatric ward. Not sure when the changes began, but it likely was around the time the parity law came to be. It gradually got more and more difficult to get a person admitted into a hospital for treatment of mental illness unless they are suicidal or homicidal.
How can we help people:
Improve access.
The important thing that needs to change is that the gatekeepers to the behavioral health units (psychiatric wards, mental health wards) need to loosen the requirements for hospitalization. Those gatekeepers, usually social services, interview the person seeking help and the person who brought them. That person seeking help must be suicidal or homicidal in order to be admitted.
There are many other symptoms that need care in a hospital setting in order to find the appropriate medication combination to manage symptoms. They need round the clock monitoring in a healthcare setting to watch for allergic reactions, adverse reactions, monitoring of vitals which can be affected by some medications, for safety reasons, and compliance monitoring.
The other thing that needs to change is proximity to treatment. The odds of someone who needs treatment getting it decreases the farther they have to travel to get it. The hospitals my kids go to are 50+ miles from home. There are closer facilities, but they don’t accept their insurance.
Ugh. I cannot imagine. I agree...there needs to be more help. Everyday people are struggling more and more and care is expensive so they don't go. I think mental health is playing a HUGE part in our society these days. I pray this changes.
ReplyDeleteIt’s really a nightmare trying to get someone the help they need. Although my daughter has been very healthy (thank God), we see it with her housemates. Having dealt with this for 20 years it’s very easy to see what’s going on at her house and know who truly needs help. It breaks my heart when I hear they are told to wait to see their psychiatrist. Especially when I know they have a long wait for those appointments.
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