What if there was a type of disorder that, when factoring in the effects of the illness on family and friends of the patient, impacted 25% of the population?
What if it was serious, debilitating, chronic, and potentially fatal?
What if it was a treatable, physical illness which nevertheless brought shame and stigma upon people who were ill and their families, and for which insurance companies refused to cover treatment at the same rate as other illnesses?
What if this disparity and stigma caused most families impacted by this disorder to live at or near poverty, to lose significant sources of income, and to be unable to improve their economic situation because they would lose their government benefit coverage?
What if a large percentage of patients with this disorder made too much money for governmental assistance, but not enough to pay $100.00 or more each month for vital, effective medications?
Would one out of four people be outraged? Would any of the other three issue a call to action and change?
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is hoping to affect such change, in part through Mental Illness Awareness week October 1-7, 2000.
Recently, at an informal round-table discussion, three mental health professionals from Siouxland Mental Health Center: Dr. Ronald Brinck, medical director, Katie Boley, Clinical Supervisor, and Kim Fischer-Culver, Community Services Director, told me that much has been accomplished in treating mental illness, but much more needs to be done to erase the stigma and to accomplish better treatment for all types of mental illness.
1. What do you think is the largest gain in treating mental conditions in the past year or two.
Dr. Brinck: "Medications have come a long way, really new medications have exploded over the past few years. There is much more that is useful, safe and effective for more people."
Katie Boley: "We have specific treatments for specific populations. We have much better programs for working with people who have borderline personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. For children with social anxiety disorder, we have medications that can treat them effectively."
Kim Fischer-Culver: "We have realized that many jail inmates have committed crimes because of mental illness. We have developed programs to treat their illness, help them live better lives in the community, and prevent them from reoffending."
2. What is the major obstacle to continuing, successful mental health treatment?
RB: Contrary to popular belief of employers and insurance companies, we can't cure everyone. There is an assumption on the part of the insurance companies that a certain, intense treatment should be a cure all and they often do not provide enough benefits to alleviate symptoms."
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