May is mental health awareness month, and there’s no hiding that this has been a hot topic of discussion this year. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), over 43 million adults suffer with a mental illness every year, or approximately 1 in 5 adults in America. With organizations, student bodies and passionate individuals speaking up and speaking out more, it’s apparent that the traction being gained in the mental health field is worthy of attention.
With staggering numbers of those who struggle with mental illness annually, there exist clear next steps that must be taken to ensure the future of mental health care for patients is adequate and helpful for those who are in need of these services.
Mental Health Reform
In an effort to advance the care and services offered to those struggling with mental health conditions, NAMI has launched a petition for mental health reform. The following areas address what the organization and others in the mental health movement believe will move the needle forward in improving care for those in need:
- Improvement of reimbursement for mental health services
- Improvement of access to mental health services
- Improvement of integration of mental health and physical health care
- Increased funding streams for mental health research
- Provision of early identification and intervention of mental health conditions
Responding to the needs of mental health reform is the mental health reform act, S.2680, which was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) committee earlier this year and is currently pending on the Senate calendar. Led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), others involved in moving the reform bill forward include HELP Committee chair Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). The focus of bill S.2680 includes much of what the NAMI petition has advocated for – developing suicide prevention programs; addressing the mental health workforce shortages; strengthening mental health insurance parity; investing in earlier intervention, physical and mental health integration; and creating crisis response programs. Though there is work to be done beyond the S.2680 bill, the passing of this bill would allow for needed improvements in the current mental health landscape.
Mental Health Stigma
Beyond reforming mental health from a public policy angle, societally there is much to be done. Mental health stigma and its consequences are means for concern and have the power to derail reform efforts if the larger societal community does not continue supporting these advancements. Among the many negative impacts of stigma, discrimination in the workplace, lack of insurance parity and mistrust among those living with mental health conditions exist for the 43 million who struggle each year. While mental health conditions are already complex, stigma does not make caring for oneself and getting well easier – it can often act as a deterrent to seeking help or treatment.
As more celebrities and public figures are standing up to mental health stigma by disclosing their personal struggles and recovery with mental health, the conversation has certainly been started on a public level. Beyond advocacy, the following changes in societal behavior can help:
- Change the tone and verbiage when talking about someone who struggles with mental health conditions; i.e., “person struggling with bipolar disorder” NOT “bipolar person”
- Provide professional development and educational opportunities in the workplace and in communities to continue educating on mental health and providing the opportunity for healthy dialogue
- Continue advocacy and focused conversation on improvements in mental health
In order for the traction gained in the mental health movement to be fruitful, efforts must far surpass the month of May. Though this month has been critical for awareness, the coming months will be essential for action. Whether you’re an advocate, a clinician, a sufferer or an overcomer of mental illness, the rallying cries of those afflicted by the flaws in mental health care and positioning in our nation must advocate for a better day.
