Nasanya Brown- Summary

This country’s mental health system is broken. Mental health puts a burden on us all, especially the youth. Mental health is an issue that is often ignored and stigmatized in society, especially among youth. I believe that mental health should be prioritized. Overall, prioritizing mental health is very important to me. There are so many young people walking around each day with depression. 

The first article I chose for the research assignment is Mental health policy by Barbera Mantel published on 5/10/2013. This article is about the improvement of access to mental health policy. According to the article, it is estimated that 58 million American adults, or one in four, suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year these individuals tend to suffer from some form of mental illness. such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Around 38,000 people committed suicide in 2010, with guns accounting for half of them.

Mental health problems are also common among young adults, with women having 6.4% and cases compared to men at 3.4%. according to Youth Mental Health by Barbera Mantel published on June 1, 2022.  In America adolescents who are aged 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 are likely to suffer from mental health issues.

This makes it easier for these individuals to access and receive treatment.  A total of forty-four states allow orders to mentally ill individuals who would not comply with treatment. The majority of states demand that the person pose an immediate risk to themselves or others. For instance, in Pennsylvania, a court cannot impose treatment unless the individual attempted or engaged in serious self- or other harm within the previous 30 days. Ten other states require fewer criteria. For example, states like New York. If there is noncompliance resulted in hospitalization or confinement in a mental health unit in a jail or prison at least twice in the previous three years, or in serious or attempted serious violent behavior in the previous four years, the court can order outpatient treatment for a person who is not receiving mental health treatment.

Expanding access to medication does not necessarily increase access to care or support the mental health of Americans, since the medication is usually not the sole remedy for mental or physical health concerns. The issue is not that people who are severely mentally ill are avoiding treatment. The issue is that people who require those interventions are not able to access them. According to the article titled Health Care Debates By Kerry Dooley Young In 2011, there was a national survey on drug use and mental health findings. The reasons for not receiving mental health treatment vary with treatment being unaffordable at 50% and Fear of being committed and having to take medicine at 7%. There is also a shortage of mental health professionals. One of the main factors that cause this is insufficient funds and the longer persistence of education. Students finishing their Ph.D. face obstacles from internship shortages to clinical training. 

I learned that there are so many individuals who constantly suffer from mental illness and are unable to afford medication and other treatments. Treatment is inaccessible to a lot of individuals.  Due to the stigma attached to mental health these individuals refuse treatment, and it takes years for them to see a mental health professional.

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