Access to mental health care is lacking in the United States, and the situation is only getting worse. Mental health is a prominent issue in the United States. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2020, at least one in five adults in the United States had a mental illness. Despite the need for accessible mental health care, it remains out of reach for most of the population.
There are several reasons for this difference. First of all, there is a shortage of mental health professionals. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, many states have less than 40% of the number of mental health professionals needed to meet the needs of their populations.
Without an adequate number of resources to support people with mental illness, accessible mental health care is nearly impossible. It is critical that sufficient resources are available to those in need.
Patients who are fortunate enough to have insurance that covers their mental health care often end up paying high out-of-pocket costs. Also, there is a possibility that the insurance will not be sufficient. Insurance should not be a barrier to mental health care.
Some mental health professionals may not even accept a patient’s insurance due to low reimbursement rates. This prevents patients from accessing mental health care.
Mental health is a serious issue in America. The number of young people experiencing a mental health crisis is increasing. Additionally, suicide rates among young people are on the rise.
America’s youth need professional help, but it’s not easily available. Making mental health care more accessible will not only save lives, it will also improve the quality of life for Americans.
There are several ways the U.S. government can improve this problem. They can create policies that expand insurance coverage and encourage workforce growth in the mental health field.
It’s important to remember that mental health is not taboo. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. IVCC has resources for students. We have Transformative Growth here on campus, which offers four free therapy sessions. IVCC also has peer mentors to assist students. YOU@IVCC has a wealth of useful articles for students.
No one is alone. Even if you can’t afford mental health care, there are many people in our community who are willing to help you. We hope that access to mental health care will improve in the coming years.
https://www.aamcresearchinstitute.org/our-work/issue-brief/exploring-barriers-mental-health-care-us
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/all-reports?keys=&items_per_page=15&sort_bef_combine=field_date_printed_on_report_DESC&f%5B0%5D=report_type%3A362&f%5B1%5D=report_type%3A363&f%5B2%5D=survey_type%3A377&f%5B3% 5D=year_data_collected_taxonomy_term_name%3A%28min%3A2002%2Cmax%3A2019%29&page=1
