Policy and Advocacy for Pop Hlth-Fall 2024

I picked mental health issue! This was my first assignment see attachment: Social Determinant

Mental health has had a dynamic impact in most groups since the pandemic. I work in a Med.Surg. unit where I have acknowledged more admissions on mental patients, both young and old, than I have ever seen. Alcohol and drug abuse increased significantly, and patients became more hostile toward medical staff. Some may just need some comfort and reassurance that everything will be okay, while there are genuinely others with long term issues that are unable to cope from their losses and other traumatic issues that are unforgettable in their minds (PTSD). 

Some are easy to handle, and others are very complicated. We (nurses and other medical staff) became counselors, psych nurses, family, and nutritionists to get them going and I’ve played these many roles. After all the suffering and the confusion of this unknown killer virus, the lack of access to healthcare, lack of education, lack of access to grocery stores, depression/anxiety caused by unemployment, financial instability, social interaction with others, and the rising of shelters are all contributing significantly to the mental and physical behaviors.

Recent President

President Trump’s administration reformed the delivery of the Obama Affordable Care Act, giving priority and encouraged the effort to address the opioid crisis which causes serious mental health concern in the country. Also supported the access to increased treatment for mental health patients, behavioral health treatment, such as psychotherapy and counseling, mental and behavioral health inpatient services, substance use disorders.

The President Biden Administration issued and proposed rules that, if finalized, would continue the expansion of access to mental health and substance use care including the intensive coverage of outpatient services; increasing Medicare rates for crisis care, substance use disorder treatment, and psychotherapy; and allowing the provider to get paid by medicare. Support access to needed care such as behavioral health and through telehealth services.The administration also invested nearly 1 billion dollars to enhance crisis response on suicide.

What I would Do Differently

When it comes to change it could be for an organization or for an entire state, so we need to get adapted, it always takes longer for any change to get accepted by others. I will attend meetings in mental health care community-based, centered on the margin groups, meet with the big people who approve and  help the changes, collect information to find out the impact that change will bring/make on the patients, before proceeding. Some insights on what is the root problem that causes acute attack of mental illness to get proper referral for treatments. Establish a financial aid assistance program to help reduce the stress that can also cause mental illness. Keep pressing for insurance to continue to provide health coverage for all health mental treatments. Assist on providing transportation, safe housing programs, access to groceries, create job and vocational education, etc. Creates group events to help with interaction and reduce stress.  Most of the time change is for the better, even though at the beginning it looks like it is more work/complication, through time it is worth the change for an effective outcome, and can also fail for many reasons due to lack of communication, poor planning, and unmotivated organization. This is one of the reasons I encourage meetings to keep them informed and updated. Change can also stimulate positive behaviors, attitudes and improve outcomes and patients confidence and performance. According to Lewin, an early change scholar who proposed a three-step process for ensuring successful change[2]. Effective communication within the healthcare system between providers, specialists, healthcare staff, and mental health patients. New discoveries for the treatment of diseases, medical information within the reach of providers, help them understand what is going on throughout the treatment process, etc. 

References

 https://www.onpage.com/exploring-the-importance-of-chan

President Trump’s Record on Health Care – Issue Brief

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/25/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-takes-action-to-make-it-easier-to-access-in-network-mental-health-care/#:~:text=The%20Administration%20 recently%20issues%20 proposed,mental%20health%20and%20 substance%20use

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