Mental health too often falls into a policy vacuum. To help spur change in this area, Community Voices has released Forgotten Policy: An Examination of Mental Health in the U.S. This report outlines a comprehensive strategy to remove barriers to mental health treatment. It is clear we have a long road to travel.
More than one in four people in the U.S. have experienced a mental health or substance abuse problem in any given year. Because of the emotion and consequences associated with mental health and substance abuse problems, these issues touch virtually everyone. Family members trying to understand, friends trying to reach out to people they care about, and employers seeing a decrease in productivity all feel the strain of an incomplete mental health system. The burden of not treating mental illness is great. Less than one-third of adults with a mental disorder and less than half of those suffering from substance abuse will receive treatment.
Our hope is that this report spurs new policy developments. Already leaders from both political parties in Congress are exploring ways to improve mental health policies. The problem is also one that extends far beyond Washington, DC. State and local governments need to examine existing mental health programs to see if they are meeting the needs of not just people in treatment, but also remove barriers that are blocking those from receiving needed care.
Community Voices sites are exploring a number of approaches to providing mental health services. Some of these efforts include:
Baltimore, Maryland: The Vision for Health Consortium has formed a partnership with three mental health providers, Liberty Medical Center, University of Maryland Medical System, and the University of Maryland School of Nursing to provide therapeutic services to three Sandtown-Winchester elementary schools. Gilmor, Kelson and Pinderhughes Elementary schools identified the need for counseling intervention and preventive services for their emotionally and behaviorally challenged students, as well as for their families.
Denver, Colorado: Denver Health Community Voices offers a Case Management Program for adults. Many of the patients enrolled in the program suffer from some form of mental illness. Patients are assigned to a psychiatrist at the Continuity of Care Clinic. Also, Community Outreach Advisors are on hand to refer members of the community to mental health services throughout Denver. Denver Health also has a 100-bed non-medical detoxification unit called Denver Cares, which offers narcotic support, outpatient treatment, education and therapy.
Detroit, Michigan: The Voices of Detroit Initiative is coordinating efforts between general health, mental health, substance abuse, and social welfare systems to make it easier for people with mental health and substance abuse disorders to obtain mental health services. VODI is making it possible for general medical professionals to make referrals for those who need mental health treatment.
El Paso, Texas: Community Voices El Paso is taking steps toward combining mental, behavioral, and physical health services into one complete service. Local mental and behavioral health providers are working closely to address this issue by working with the Community Voices Mental Health/Behavioral Health Advisory Group. This group is in the process of redesigning the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority.
New Mexico: Community Voices New Mexico was joined by Senator Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) and New Mexico Secretary of Health Alex Valdez to call for new policies for mental health programs. Those policies should focus on children and families.
North Carolina: FirstHealth of the Carolinas offers Behavioral Services programs in Pinehurst, Raeford, Rockingham and Troy. Services, which vary from site to site, range from DWI assessments and stress management clinics to inpatient and outpatient chemical dependency programs and acute inpatient psychiatric treatment.
Northern Manhattan: The Northern Manhattan Community Voices Collaboration is working with the New York State Psychiatry Institute on a training project with primary care providers (PCP) to increase their capacity to treat uncomplicated mental health cases. The PCP community has been surveyed about their needs and the best ways to deliver the training. Agreements have been also reached with the Ambulatory Care Network Corporation clinics to secure the continuity of this initiative.
The Northern Manhattan Community Voices site has also completed and released a new publication, Mental Health: The Neglected Epidemic, that offers an assessment of the mental health services delivery systems in northern Manhattan. Click here to review this report.
Please return to this site regularly to learn more about Community Voices.