Long and Winding, but interesting...
Equally important is the need for affordable care and insurance coverage, which are fundamental to accessing the kind of high-quality care I am advocating for. Access to relatively good insurance has allowed me to receive the level of care I require (with minimal pushback), although I still pay a substantial amount out-of-pocket when the intensity and frequency of my outpatient care is high during times of extreme stress. Even in the wake of health care reform and mental health parity laws, access to adequate mental health coverage is still lacking, and this is unacceptable.
From my conversations with practitioners, researchers, advocates, and people in recovery, it is clear we have come a long way, but we still have a ways to go. The stigma of mental illness is still alive, even among those of us who work in the mental health field. That stigma perpetuates shame, making the journey through the dark times even lonelier and recovery all that more difficult.
It is not easy to bear witness to someone’s pain. It’s easier to treat symptoms or even to place some blame on the individual who is suffering. But patients need someone to listen. We need someone to take the time to hear our stories and stand beside us. Regardless of where one is on the road to recovery, they cannot make the journey alone.
The inclusion of peer mentors—people with histories of mental illness who are hired as mental health staff—in inpatient units would be extremely helpful. Research has shown the peer-to-peer model of care provides a level of comfort for the patient and can reduce the impact of stigma and enhance a person’s self-efficacy. The work that peer mentors do currently is not a billable service in some states. This needs to change.