Access to Mental Health Care

How does it feel to need mental health care but be unable to find it? 

 Check out PsychCentral's podcast, "How Do We Fix Our Broken Mental Health Care System?" (2) - (30m)

The following is a rubric of key themes within the interview:

Why is it difficult to find mental health care in the U.S.? (4m 58s)  

How can we make mental health care available? (15m 03s)

How can we fix the system? (19m 51s)

How do cultural beliefs affect access to mental health care? 

Check out NPR's podcast "How I Learned To Talk To My Filipino Mom About Mental Health" (3) - (4m)

What are the obstacles to mental health care access in rural U.S. communities? How can we overcome them?

 Listen to the AHA's Rural Report Series broadcast, "Behavioral Health" (4) - (13m)

How can we provide global mental health care where there is none?

Check out Vikram Patel's TED Talk, "Mental health for all by involving all" (5) - (12m)

If I am interested in this topic, where can I learn more?

Check out the NY Times article, "The Largest Health Disparity We Don't Talk About"(7)

This essay highlights the need for better access to mental health care from the policy levels to the front lines of health care.   

Listen to Health Affairs podcast, "My Struggle to Access Lifesaving Mental Health Care" (8) - (25m)

This podcast details the hurdles one person had to overcome to acquire necessary depression treatment.

Check out this SAMHSA documentary, "Supporting Recovery: Integrated Treatment for Co-Occuring Disorders" (9) - (24m)

This video explores barriers to treatment for people suffering co-occuring or "dual" diagnosis of mental health and substance use disorders. It examines the need for integrated care, and illustrates its benefit through two statewide programs.  

Read this paper on "Barriers to Mental Health Care Access in an African American Population" (10)

This qualitative study reports obstacles to mental health care in a low-income African American community. It identified three levels of barriers: Individual, Environmental, and Institutional.

Mental Health Resources at Columbia University 

1. Student Mental Health Services

·      http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/student-health/who-we-are/make-appointment

·      212-305-3400

·      This number is answered 24/7 and is for urgent and non-urgent matters.  

·      After business hours, select Option 7 to be connected with the clinician on call.

2. Center for Student Wellness 

·      Email Jane Bogart: jb925@cumc.columbia.edu

·      212-304-5564

3. Columbia University Office of the Chaplain

·      Email Jewelnel Davis: chaplain@columbia.edu

Sources

1.      Rural Health Information Hub. Healthcare Access in Rural Communities. Retrieved Oct. 03, 2019 from: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/healthcare-access

2.     Howard, G. Podcast: How Do We Fix Our Broken Mental Health Care System? (2018, July 08). Retrieved Oct. 10, 2019 from: https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-how-do-we-fix-our-broken-mental-health-care-system/

3.     Gharib M. How I Learned To Talk To My Filipino Mom About My Mental Health. (2018, Nov. 22). Retrieved Oct. 01, 2019 from:  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/22/669960524/how-i-learned-to-talk-to-my-filipino-mom-about-my-mental-health

4.     American Hospital Association. AHA Rural Report Series. Retrieved Sept. 30, 2019 from: https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth/aha-rural-report-series

5.     Patel V. Mental health for all by involving all. (June 2012).Retrieved Sept. 30, 2019 from: https://www.ted.com/talks/vikram_patel_mental_health_for_all_by_involving_all?language=en

6.     CDC. Many Children Lack Access to Mental Health Care. Retrieved Oct. 01, 2019 from: https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/documents/access-infographic.html

7.     Kular D. The Largest Health Disparity We Don't Talk About.  NY Times. (May 30, 2018). Retrieved Oct. 03, 2019 from: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/upshot/mental-illness-health-disparity-longevity.html

8.     Clayton AR. My Struggle To Access Lifesaving Mental Health Care. Health Affairs. (2019, April 01). Retrieved Oct. 05, 2019 from: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20190408.196752/full/

9.     SAMHSA. Supporting Recovery: Integrated Treatment for Co-Occuring Disorders. (2014, Sept. 24). Retrieved Oct. 23, 2019 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfwaLQRWBaQ

10.  Hines-Martin V, Malone M, Kim S, Brown-Piper A. Barriers to Mental Health Care Access in an African American Population. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 24: 237-256. (2003, April).