chicago univeristy
first work
The healthcare topic I want to explore for my final paper is access to mental health services in the United States. I am interested in this topic because mental illness is widespread, yet many people who need help are unable to get adequate and affordable care. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 American adults experience mental illness each year. However, reports show that only about half of them receive treatment. There are many barriers preventing people from getting the mental health services they need.
The main problem seems to be that the current mental healthcare system does not have enough providers to serve everyone seeking care. Many areas of the country have severe shortages of psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, and other mental health professionals. This leads to extremely long wait times for appointments. For example, some patients have to wait months for an initial consultation. Such long delays mean that mental health issues often go unaddressed and escalate over time. The shortage also means providers cannot spend enough time with each patient. Appointments feel rushed, making building trust and meaningful therapy sessions hard.
The high cost of mental healthcare also prices many people out of the system (Knapp & Wong, 2020). Sessions with psychiatrists or therapists cost hundreds of dollars without insurance. Medications are expensive, too. Those with public or no insurance have the hardest time affording regular care. They may only seek help in emergencies at hospitals. Unfortunately, this reactive approach means they do not get the consistent, preventative care required for good mental health management.
My goal with this paper is to analyze the factors contributing to inadequate access to mental health services and propose solutions to increase access. For example, ideas like increasing funding for training psychiatry and psychology graduate students, employing more counselors and peer support specialists, using telehealth to reach rural areas, and subsidizing costs for low-income patients. Improvements in these areas could significantly expand access. My target audience is policymakers, mental health professionals, and advocates who can work together to enact changes to our dysfunctional system.
The specific problem statement I want to focus on is:
Due to shortages of providers, limited appointment availability, and prohibitively high costs of care, many individuals in need of mental health services are unable to access adequate, timely, and affordable care (Maganty et al., 2023). This presents a significant public health issue that requires systemic changes to expand access points, reduce barriers to care, and shift to a more preventative and patient-centered model.
paper 2
Introduction
The availability of mental health services and their quality has been a focus for both research studies and concerns in America. The contemporary body of empirical studies gives much-needed insights into the current conditionality of mental healthcare, factors contributing to disturbed access, and innovative models aimed at narrowing the gap. This paper discusses three researched articles borrowed from peer-reviewed publications with meaningful views on these aspects. All articles have been summarized, and an evaluation of their credibility has been provided if the article is relevant to mental health care accessibility.
Literature Review
Reinert, Fritze, and Nguyen (2021) provide a realities concise presentation of the mental health situation in America, pointing out the high number of disorders among the population and the drastic amounts of those not receiving treatment. The authors use numerous national databases and surveys to present statistical data on mental health, thus emphasizing that these problems cannot be underestimated within the framework of both general demographics (Reinert, Fritze & Nguyen, 2021). This article’s credibility stems from its methodological rigor, reliance on nationally recognized data, and publication under the auspices of a respected mental health research organization. This article plays an important role in outlining the issue of mental health service availability, creating a strong statistical basis highlighting the criticality of addressing this public health emergency.
Duong et al. (2021) provide a systematic review and meta-analysis relating to the rates at which children and adolescents attending schools, alongside other settings with high utilization of services pertaining to mental health, received them. The research highlights schools as the primary location for providing mental health services to the younger population (Duong et al., 2021). The article’s credibility is also supported by its inclusion in a peer-reviewed journal and meta-analysis; all studies conducted within it are comprehensive because they include multiple data sources. In the context of mental healthcare for children and adolescents, a vulnerable demographic population to investigate, complemented by an emphasis on schools as primary providers – one important perspective that this article presents pertains to mapping deficiencies in service utilization.
In their article, Heyworth et al. (2020) focus on how virtual care services would quickly grow and be adapted to by Veterans Affairs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper some interesting ideas on how virtual care can be used to address common obstacles that prevent many individuals from gaining access to mental health services (Heyworth et al., 2020). Its credibility is due to its timely subject matter, the journal’s peer-reviewed status, and the authors’ affiliations with notable institutions. The sense of relevance provided by the article lies in that it helps to shed light on how technological tools, particularly telehealth, may be used to improve access to mental health services catering either during emergencies or the specific needs of the population. Top of Form
Conclusion
In conclusion, the scholarly contributions made by Reinert and Fritze & Nguyen, Duong, et al., as well as Heyworth et al. about the current state of mental health provision service delivery in America provide a three-partiality representation or working reality concerning this phenomenon from one aspect only. Through a detailed statistical overview, addressing specific population segments, and discussing innovative techniques for service provision to individuals needing mental health care services ground ideas established during the reading activities, these papers offer invaluable insights into obstacles and prospective solutions relating to ensuring successful access. The findings and perspectives offered in these studies will be invaluable assets for combating the problem of inadequate access to mental healthcare. As access to mental health care continues its upward spiral, there is no doubt that the knowledge derived from such scholarly contributions will be at the forefront of guiding efforts geared toward improving accessibility, reducing barriers, and promoting a more preventive approach dependent on patients in mental health practice
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