Mental Health Reform is a hot topic in today’s society. Mental illnesses are becoming more and more common, but many people still don’t know what Mental Health Reform means. Mental Health Reform means changing the way mental health care is provided to patients with chronic conditions. Mental illnesses are usually categorized as “chronic” when they last for six months or longer, are expected to continue indefinitely or lead to death if not treated properly. The 3 main points that this article will cover are the following:
1) Mental Illness can be managed better by healthcare providers who have specialized training in treating these types of illnesses. Mental health providers will be required to meet specific standards and include a mental illness measure on patient reports. Mental Health Reform will also offer primary care physicians more incentives for providing counseling services at an earlier stage of treatment which can help prevent many chronic illnesses from escalating into severe conditions.
2) Providing good treatment services may reduce hospitalization rates among those living with Mental Illnesses. Mental Illness is a lot like heart disease and diabetes, where it can be managed but not cured. Mental Health Reform will provide money to hire more mental health providers who have the training needed for dealing with these types of illnesses and give reimbursement services that will cover treatment costs such as counseling, medication management, and hospitalization.
3) Mental Illness recovery is a process, not an end goal. Mental Health Reform will provide the resources and funding to further treatment so people living with Mental Illnesses can achieve a better quality of life. Mental Health Reform is not just about making sure that those diagnosed with Mental Illness receive treatment. It’s also about ensuring they have access to a continuum of care services and peer support groups.
In conclusion, Mental Health Reform is a necessary and urgent movement that will improve Mental Illness recovery and support those living with Mental Illnesses. Today we need to understand how Mental Health Reform can impact millions of lives across the United States and why it is something we all should be supporting and investing our efforts into.