Today, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) nearly 2 million Americans are receiving mental health and behavioral health services. In addition, the number of uninsured individuals seeking mental health access and care fell from 28% to 19% between 2012 and 2015. Looking at the numbers, between 2010 and 2015 approximately 800,000 Americans with behavioral health disorders became insured, which provided the largest expansion of mental health and substance abuse disorder coverage in decades.
While this increased coverage has somewhat eased the crisis, there is an urgent need to further expand mental health coverage, not shrink it. As the ACA goes through revisions, mental health and behavioral health professionals are urging lawmakers to closely examine the impact on these individuals when considering any reform to the current health care legislation and all compromises. The loss of, or diminished access to mental health and behavioral health services, not only threatens the emotional well-being of our nation but also its physical health since the two are closely intertwined.
It will be a national tragedy if health care reform relegates mental health care coverage to second-class status when many Americans have come to depend on access to this type of care. It is well documented that there is a direct correlation between chronic disease and stress, depression and other mental health issues. Each area of the federal healthcare law has the potential to be “a game changer” in how the mental health of our nation is addressed for future generations. Untreated, common mental health problems can find their way into the workplace, home, schools and emergency rooms, costing far more than an office visit or ongoing treatment.
At The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) , we educate and train 7% of all psychologists in our nation, and over the years have graduated more than 8,000 alumni who are ready to take their places as leaders in organizations, and on the frontlines in our communities to serve those in need. And with the rise of opioid addiction in our cities, the value of our graduates and their tremendous contributions to society cannot be understated.
A compendium of research supporting the need for a comprehensive mental health program in our nation’s health care system was released by (TCSPP). Toward a Healthier Nation: No Health Without Mental Health is a national report on the status of mental health. It examines promising approaches embedded in the ACA. The research was conducted by psychology professionals who have witnessed the harsh realities mental health patients with no health care insurance face, and the failure of medical care to address the whole person during office visits, in hospitals, schools, prisons, and on the streets of our communities. You can read our full report here. The intention of producing the report is to shed light on some of the dark corners of health care that have been inadequately explored in the past.
The nation needs a firm and steady commitment, and also a strategy for increasing mental health coverage over the next decade. There must be a commitment to accept that mental health and behavioral health issues remain part of any society and are growing, affecting every aspect of our lives. And, there must be a strategy to provide mental health parity in coverage and open a national conversation about how we can integrate mental and physical healthcare to move us toward a truly healthier nation.