By Rachel Clements

Mental health is a serious issue in the United States. In 2004, one in four adults suffered from a mental health disorder and one in 17 had a serious mental illness (“Mental Health,” n.d.). Treating mental health disorders present unique challenges and there are many barriers to providing good care to those who suffer from mental health disorders. Mental health disorders are surrounded by stigmas that, in spite of improvements over the last several centuries, still prevail and make management of mental health difficult. Poor management leads to significant negative effects which not only include risk for harm to those it affects but also to their families, friends, and communities (“Mental Health,” n.d.).

Mental Health in Crisis Mode

It is clear that mental health is in crisis mode in this country. In 2016, the suicide rate was 13.5 per 100,000 people and 12.8% of teens had a major depressive episode in the preceding 12 months (“Mental Health,” n.d.). Mental health affects all groups of people, but some groups are affected more than others. The LGBTQ community, African Americans, people who are homeless, and more are at an increased risk for mental health disorders and may not have access to the resources to manage these disorders (Niles, 2018).

There are many reasons why mental health is in crisis mode, but two particular reasons include the stigmas surrounding mental health disorders that prevent sufferers from seeking help, and the poor coverage of mental health services by insurers (Niles, 2018). Patients will often avoid or delay getting help with mental health disorders for a variety of reasons, including embarrassment and fear of letting others down. This puts them at risk for escalating their disorders and contributes to the country’s mental health crisis (Haugen, McCrillis, Smid & Nidjam, 2017).

There have been efforts to improve insurance coverage of mental health services, however coverage is still poor especially when compared to traditional medical care. Many companies, especially small companies, may not offer any mental health coverage, and employees may have to pay higher copays for mental health services. If individuals with mental health disorders are not able to work, their mental health care is typically covered by Medicare and Medicaid (Niles, 2018). When it is difficult for patients and families to afford mental health services, treatment is delayed if it even happens which also contributes to our mental health crisis.

Poor Management of Mental Health in the U.S.

Mental health has come a long way since the insane asylums of the 18^th century, but the U.S. still has work to do to appropriately care for mentally ill individuals. Rather than locking them away in asylums, these days many mentally ill individuals find their way into the prison system. Not only does this not give these individuals the help they need to manage their disorders, but it increases costs to the taxpayers, creates behavioral management problems in prisons, and puts them at higher risk for suicide (“Serious mental illness (SMI) in jails and prisons,”2016). More focus should be placed on treatment rather than punishment of the mentally ill.

Decreasing Violence in the Mentally Ill

The affordability and accessibility of mental health services remains an issue for many mentally ill individuals. Tragedies occur when there is inadequate management of mental health disorders, such as the Virginia Tech Massacre in 2007. Seung Hui Cho was previously treated for severe anxiety before he killed 32 people in the massacre. In spite of previously responding well to counseling, he discontinued therapy with disastrous results (Niles, 2018). This exemplifies the dangerous impacts poor accessibility of mental health services can have.

Although efforts have been made to improve coverage of mental health services, there are still weaknesses in these laws that make it difficult to receive mental health care. For example, A 50% copayment for outpatient mental health services is required for those covered by Medicaid, rather than the usual 20% for traditional medical care. Efforts need to be made to improve these disparities (Niles, 2018).

Conclusion

Mental health disorders are increasingly common and have significant negative consequences on our society. The stigma surrounding mental health and the poor accessibility of mental health services are large contributors to the mental health crisis that the Unites States is in today. Mental health services can be difficult to afford and are often not adequately covered by insurance providers. When mentally ill individuals are not able to get the treatment they need, they are at increased risk for suicide, violence, and other negative effects. As research on treating mentally illnesses is improving, access and affordability of mental health services also needs to improve to connect the research with the crisis and improve outcomes for everyone.

References

Haugen, P. T., Mccrillis, A. M., Smid, G. E., & Nijdam, M. J. (2017). Mental health stigma and barriers to mental health care for first responders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research,94, 218-229. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.08.001

Mental Health. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2019, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/2020-lhi-topics/Mental-Health

Niles, N. J. (2018). Basics of the U.S. health care system(3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Serious mental illness (SMI) in jails and prisons(Background paper). (2016, September). Retrieved March 30, 2019, from Treatment Advocacy Center website: https://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/evidence-and-research/learn-more-about/3695