It’s safe to say that the United States is experiencing a mental health crisis. However, this statement paints an incomplete picture.
For most of human history, mental health concerns have been all but ignored. We have now reached a point where the majority of people are willing to acknowledge and grapple with common mental health struggles, including stress, anxiety, and depression.
We have also reached a wider state of acceptance for more significant mental health struggles. These are good things. They also accentuate the already existing accessibility problems that plague all segments of American healthcare. More people are willing to seek out care, but for various reasons, our healthcare system can’t support them all.
In this article, we take a look at comprehensive solutions for mental health problems.
Unfortunately, there is a shortage of mental health professionals in the United States. Many towns simply do not have adequate healthcare workers to accommodate their needs. This is particularly pronounced in remote or rural communities.
A town of 10,000 people will probably not produce many mental health professionals a year. Consequently, the community is required to recruit mental health professionals from different locations- a task that can be quite difficult— or simply go without them.
A short-term solution for communities with healthcare shortages is to lean into telehealth services. Through remote communication technology, people can receive therapeutic services from the comfort of their homes.
On a long-term basis, rural or remote communities—-or simply those experiencing mental healthcare shortages— should focus on sustainable recruitment techniques.
Healthcare recruitment at its best is a collaboration between universities and healthcare networks. When done right, the focus is not just on bringing new people into the world of healthcare, but also on diversifying the existing population of professionals.
This could involve:
Mental healthcare is very difficult work. Sustainable recruitment should acknowledge and compensate for this fact.
It’s a bit of a paradox. Sometimes people who need mental health services the most are emotionally restricted from seeking them out. Perhaps the person is suffering from social anxiety or even the more extreme agoraphobia. Perhaps they simply don’t have easy access to a care provider that they are comfortable with.
Towns that do have an adequate reserve of mental health professionals may not be able to cater to the needs of everyone in the community. It’s worth keeping in mind that therapeutic services are incredibly subjective. The patient and the care provider need to have a productive relationship for the arrangement to be effective. This requires trust and a high level of comfort.
A person who has sampled the services of all of the professionals and their community may reasonably conclude that therapy is not right for them. Are they right? Not necessarily. Perhaps it is not the process but the options that disappointed them to this point.
Historically, the result has been the same. Without access to additional mental health professionals, the patient is required to either give up on the process or drive extravagant distances to get regular appointments.
Telehealth services can fix this problem, allowing patients to remotely communicate with therapists anywhere in the world.
For communities that do not have enough professionals to go around the benefits are obvious. Patients can get world-class care, regardless of where they are located physically. However, even people living in areas with many mental health professionals can benefit. Telehealth expands options and makes receiving care more convenient and flexible.
Another solution for people who are not able to go directly to healthcare providers is for healthcare professionals to go to them. Mobile healthcare clinics are an increasingly prominent option for people with mobility issues.
This could include those with social anxieties that keep them at home, but it also encompasses people with physical restrictions. For example, senior citizens often require counseling services as they deal with their own mortality and declining autonomy.
Unfortunately, they often lack the ability to seek these services out independently. Mobile health clinics could serve as a viable solution for them.
Even though the conversation around mental health services has improved, it has not been perfected. Many people are still reluctant to admit that they are struggling with their mental health.
It is important to encourage a culture of mental health awareness. As with any cultural initiative, this is a multi-front endeavor. Many places of employment are already doing an excellent job of encouraging employees to prioritize, their physical, mental, and emotional health. Positive reinforcement through social media and other forms of entertainment can further this cause.
Resources are great, but they don’t fix an even more significant problem that many Americans are facing when it comes to their mental health. Financial barriers.
Many insurance companies do not provide robust support for mental health services. Even those that do may not offer coverage plans that adequately reflect the needs of someone who is receiving regular mental health support.
For example, a $30 co-pay may be fine for the occasional unexpected doctor appointment. It does not necessarily work well for someone who is receiving therapy twice a week.
Mental health support is virtually impossible for people without insurance coverage to pay for.
There are workarounds. Affordable clinics designed to cater to people who otherwise would not be able to afford mental health services. Unfortunately, even these solutions are not comprehensive, nor are they available for everyone.
Legislative action and increased public demand may be required to make a substantive change in the financial accessibility of mental healthcare.
If you feel passionate about mental health, you may wish to consider a career as a healthcare professional. Psychiatric nurse practitioners earn six-figure salaries while playing a pivotal role in mental healthcare accessibility for the communities in which they work.
There are other ways to make a difference as well. Social work. Psychotherapy. Community health nurses—professionals who play a more comprehensive role in public health initiatives.
Bottom line? There are many ways to help make mental health care more accessible. Find the route that makes the most sense to you.
