Mental Health Care for the Poor

Mental health care is a challenge no matter what demographic you fall into. Psychiatry is not an exact science and the practice itself is controversial. Consequently, different treatments and medications are almost always an occurrence within the mental health arena. Most of the best insurances available to employees and private members limit the number of therapy visits, psychiatrist visits and hospitalization to a certain number of days. The out of pocket expense for new medications and specialized mental health treatments can be astronomical. For the poor, getting effective mental health treatments is a difficult feat.

Understanding Mental Health

• For those who have not experienced a mental health issue or known someone who has, understanding can be difficult. Typically, most people recoil from individuals with mental health issues and spend little time trying to understand it. The fact that these disorders are no different from any other illness is often forgotten. They interfere with one's life and require medical care to help alleviate the symptoms.

Mental Illness in the Poor

• One common stereotype of the homeless is the picture of someone talking to himself, acting erratically, etc. Many of these individuals are the product of someone being born into a life where experimental treatments, new medications and therapy were not an option. Some low-income parents have had to give their children with mental health issues over to the state as they can not afford the necessary treatments. These children typically bounce from one environment to the next as their behavior is viewed as undesirable.

State Assistance for the Mentally Ill Poor

• As the poor cannot afford to pay for treatments out of pocket, they are forced to rely on state assistance for help. Each state provides different allowances for mental health care, most do not provide enough. Not only is the state assistance inadequate, but it also requires a large "interview" process that can take weeks if not months in some cases. There are strict regulations and guidelines must be followed in order to be approved for state aid. Local state offices can provide the individual with a list of the necessary documentation needed. Once received, the assistance typically includes full coverage of medications (not including experimental), limited therapy and psychiatry visits, and although most do cover hospitalization/rehabilitation, the patient is treated at a state run facility where unsavory conditions may run rampant.

Mental Health Help for the Poor

• Although mental health care is in the process of reform on the national level, there are several organizations which make painstaking efforts in offering assistance to the poor. As with everything, education is key, which may not always be accessible to the poor. They can, however, reach out to people that are specially trained in treatment options offered to the mentally ill in their area. A great outlet for anyone in this situation is the National Mental Health Information Center, which is a page on the United States Department of Health & Services and Human Services Website. There is a wealth of information on the site that covers all areas of mental health. It is the perfect source for answers and possible solutions.

Conclusion

• Obtaining effective mental health care is a challenge to all, not only the poor. Not being able to afford or continue treatment leaves an individual with the consequence of never being relieved of their condition. Mental health conditions when left untreated can worsen and force the person to be institutionalized. There are resources for the poor that can be accessed by going to the library and accessing sites designed to help them. With reform and better understanding, mental health will improve by providing all patients with the necessary treatments to help them live unaffected lives.