Tag:

Mental Health Care

ACA/Cures Act…

by Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW July 6, 2023

written by Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW

… personally Identifiable Medical & Detailed Financial Info Being Legally Exploited/Sold Via EHR & FICO MAS: Will mental health care providers ever focus on those who have actual mental health issues? The only thing that anyone now seems to care about is addiction medicine. That is crap, drug(opioid/heroin) addicts made a choice at some point, they chose to abuse opioids and that is a crime. Crikey the dangers of opioids were the focus of a long running TV series (House), and post successful long running “DARE” educational programs, the opioid epidemic is an excuse by pharma/politicians to generate billions of PROFIT. And cartel gangs like MS-13 just exacerbated the situation/access as did the opioid bill. Hospital inpatient wards, like Sentara are all about increasing revenue/profit as well, to cut expensive nursing staff, they now have one co-ed locked ward that combines abused/trauma/MDD patients with criminals detoxing before they go to jail. There is no actual individual or group therapy, there are techs who act just as babysitters. The MDs forget to write prescriptions, and are masters of the $400 handshake. Criminals/addicts stay free get top quality concierge care, eating disorders, MDD, PTSD get screwed via $10,000 2 night stay/hold for NO CARE just when they needed a thorough health/psych eval to determine if/what other pharma based treatments might be more effective –and the therapist at the medical school said the only way was via inpatient. These are worse health care conditions than those that existed 30-50 years ago. Bottom line, addicts and autism are it. No one gives a fig about anyone else. Do you think this will ever change? If not, the suicide rate will skyrocket in the next 1-3 years. Heck, it is easy to get end of life drugs but impossible to use lethal injection for criminals on death row because no one wants to make new drugs for use in criminal lethal injections, but helping the terminally ill and elderly wanting to die by a different set of lethal drugs is cause for social celebration. So how does one tell a psychiatrist they like/worked with for a few years that in all probability, at some point a year or two down the road, there is a an increasing risk that society & low quality (value based) cheap toxic, high side effect laden generic meds and lower quality of overall drive through heath care will trigger/drive them to suicide? Especially now that every call to a GP seems to result in the receptionist asking for a social security number, and upon opening your EHR containing mental health hospitalization, dets well, immediately their tone changes to a rude condescending judgmental “you are wasting my time” because you spent time (MDD/PTSD) in the psych ward, the next available apt is 5 months from now.

I’m not sure that you have asked answerable questions. In general, it seems that you are upset about the state of mental health care in the United States. That’s a fair and legitimate complaint. Research supports the idea that not enough people are able to access treatment for their mental health problems. As a result, many people live with mental health symptoms even though evidence-based treatments exist that could help.

The best advice that I can offer is to try and find mental health professionals whom you like and trust. Overcoming mental health problems is often a matter of finding good treatment. It might take time and you likely will have to interview many mental health professionals to find what you need but it is worth the time and effort.

If you would like to write back and ask a specific question, I will do my best to answer it. Thanks for writing.

Dr. Kristina Randle

July 6, 2023 0 comments

Life Not Going Well And Considering Suicide

by Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW September 10, 2011

written by Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW

I am writing you because I recently received some sessions at a local community therapy clinic and I don’t feel like we accomplished anything there. I am constantly thinking about suicide, or (I’m ashamed to say) faking a suicide so that I can get help. I was fired from my job about 2 months ago and haven’t been able to get another one. I recently started college and I am having to appeal a financial aid denial due to missing dropping the one class I registered for when I was 17. I have no family to look to for financial support and my situation gets more and more desperate every day.

If all is trying to look for a job and go to school while sleeping on the streets with no help or support from anyone I know, what really is the point of going on? I wonder, how is an able bodied, 25 year old male, with no family, supposed to get any support in this world?

It is good that you have begun your therapy at your community mental health agency but you think it may not be helping. Talk to your therapist and be honest about the fact that you feel your work together is not effective. In many clinics, it is relatively common for clients to try several therapists before they find a suitable match.

In addition to individual therapy, you should also consider group therapy. Some individuals prefer group therapy over individual therapy. There are several advantages of group therapy, including: increased support, increased feedback, increased interactional opportunities, and the chance to practice and to develop social skills. The more people that you can make a positive connection with, the better you will feel. Group therapy is also generally less expensive when compared to individual therapy.

You may also want to investigate the counseling services offered by your college. Most colleges provide their students with short-term, professional mental health care free of charge.

If you were to get a job or were granted the necessary financial aid to continue college, I believe that your mindset would change. It is important to keep your situation in perspective. It is a difficult time in your life but that can change. There are many ups and downs in life. That is true for everyone.

Your lack of social support is also contributing to the problem. If you had more support from friends or from family, then you would be less likely to consider suicide. That is one reason why it is imperative for you to stay connected to a mental health agency, and you can do this by joining a support group or by finding a different therapist.

Individuals who are considering suicide often view their life situation through a prism of hopelessness. Their difficult situation is temporary but they don’t see it that way. They have difficulty envisioning an end to their suffering. Understandably they want their pain to end. Getting help is the answer, not suicide.

I would recommend that you read this article about individuals who attempted suicide and survived. One of the most important messages of the article is that the individuals who attempted suicide and survived were thankful to have lived. In the depths of depression, they incorrectly predicted that their lives would never improve. They were fortunate enough to live to see their lives improve.

Don’t stop trying to get help. Try other therapists. Investigate other types of treatment such as group therapy or psychiatric medication. Remember that even though your life is difficult now it can change. Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you feel that you cannot keep yourself safe. I wish you the best. Take care.

Dr. Kristina Randle

September 10, 2011 0 comments

No Money To Pay For Help

by Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW May 24, 2011

written by Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW

I want to know what I should do if I can’t afford help. I am living at home and I can’t control my emotions. I have been breaking down for about 3 years now. I don’t know what to do. I have been dealing with the fact of not having money my whole life. I have never really known my parents and I’ve been moving from home to home since I was 7. Two years ago I tried to kill myself and was put in the hospital. I know that I have been depressed for awhile now and I need to get diagnosed. What should I do?

When you were being discharged from the hospital the staff should have created a comprehensive outpatient plan outlining followup treatment, even if you did not have health insurance. That may or may not have happened in your case but it should have. I am sorry if it didn’t.

Not having private health insurance or money to pay for mental health care can be very challenging but there are ways to access treatment. I have discussed these options in some of my other responses but below I have compiled a list of where to find free or low-cost mental health treatment resources. If readers of this column have other suggestions please e-mail me here. I will pass that information on to other readers.

Community Mental Health Center (CHMC). Local community mental health centers (CMHCs) are an affordable option for low-cost counseling services. CMHCs may charge a sliding-scale fee, which essentially means that they negotiate a payment plan based on what the client can afford. They typically offer services such as individual therapy, group therapy, case management and intensive case manager, psychiatric evaluations, prescribing psychiatric medication, and depending on the size of the agency, foster care arrangements, residential treatment placement and other related services.
Local Health Department. Calling the local health department can be a great way to inquire about what low-cost or free mental health services are available in your community. Call and explain your situation. They should be able to direct you to the appropriate resources if they are available.
United States Department of Health and Human Services National Mental Health Information. Their telephone number is 1-800-789-2647. They may be able to direct you to free or low-cost mental health counseling in your community.
The National Alliance For Mental Illness (NAMI). Many of the members of NAMI are seasoned veterans when it comes to navigating the mental health system. One of their main goals is to help people gain access to mental health services. Often their website or local community members can provide guidance on where to find mental health treatment. Most communities throughout the United States have a local chapter of NAMI. NAMI offers support groups for individuals dealing with various types of mental health or family issues. All of their support groups are free of charge.
School Guidance Counselors. If you are still a student, then one of the best places to ask for help is the school guidance counselor. The guidance counselor may be able to offer you immediate assistance. If additional help is required, they can provide a referral or speak to your parents on your behalf about accessing psychiatric services.
College Counseling Centers. Colleges and universities often can provide short-term counseling for their students, free of charge. University counseling centers are staffed with psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists. Many provide psychiatric evaluations and medication management services. If longer-term services are needed, the counseling center staff help students find services in the community.
University Research Centers. Many universities conduct research about psychiatric treatments and medications. Participants of research studies may have access to cutting-edge and novel treatments for mental health disorders. Being part of a research study can help someone access treatment when they may not otherwise receive any. There is no charge for being in a research study. In fact, many research studies compensate participants.

Thanks to a reader, I am reminded of how the clergy can be a (free) source of mental health and spiritual guidance.

Those are some of the ways that you may be able to access treatment with a limited budget or in the absence of health insurance. If you feel that you may harm yourself, then go to the emergency room immediately. Hospitals will treat individuals without health insurance in an emergency situation. I hope you are able to get the help that you need. Please take care.

May 24, 2011 0 comments