Stories
Several participants in house meetings have described the shortcomings of the mental health system for children. One family with a bi-polar adolescent son who was actively suicidal and required hospitalization found that there was a waiting list for adolescent inpatient beds in Tucson. In the meantime, the hospital’s practice was to keep psychiatric patients of all ages in a hospital hallway rather than the emergency room. To keep him safe, his parents opted instead to take turns staying home from work to supervise him until the depressive state of his bi-polar cycle ended. Another family had a bi-polar adolescent son who often harassed his younger brother, who had a cognitive disability.  The family lived in fear that their son would become violent. The parents and the psychiatrist felt he needed to be placed in a therapeutic group home, but their private insurance would not cover it and the family could not afford it.

Treatment does work.  One participant describes a woman who suffered terrible abuse as a child.  As an adult she abused drugs and attempted suicide.  After four years of mental health treatment, she is a centered, stable individual who makes important contributions to her family and community.  Nonetheless, PCIC members reported that private insurance coverage for mental health care has declined over the past 7-8 years. 

Research[1]
The AHCCCS program (the State of Arizona’s Medicaid program) offers some of the best mental health coverage provided in all the 50 states. The program provides outpatient, inpatient and residential services for individuals requiring care. KidCare (a state sponsored insurance program for low income children who do not qualify for AHCCCS) provides some mental health coverage although not as much as the AHCCCS program.Private insurance companies generally cover very little mental health treatment. Mental illnesses include depression, bipolar disorders, thought disorders (i.e.: schizophrenia) and substance use disorders (addictions). One of the biggest issues for individuals requiring mental health services outside the AHCCCS program is parity of coverage for mental and physical health: private insurers pay for only about 1/3 of mental health costs, much less than payments for “physical” disorders: i.e.: heart disease, asthma, diabetes, injuries, etc.

If someone with a mental illness has a relapse, especially if it is a substance use disorder, many in our society consider the treatment that patient receive a failure.  However, substance use disorders are “relapsing disorders.”  Nonetheless when a relapse occurs if the patient enters treatment again, he she usually gets better more quickly. Insurance companies’ policies of limiting mental health treatments do not acknowledge the chronic nature of these conditions.

Possible Action Steps
Meet with Healthy Arizona to discuss how the issue of mental health parity will be addressed in a potential 2008 ballot initiative.

Research mental health care options available for children and the elderly in Tucson. Back to top

 

[1] Source: Mark Clark , CODAC