Zero Discrimination Day
Zero Discrimination Day is celebrated around the world on March 1st to promote equality and help end discrimination.
Tag Archive for: Mental Health
Post-Treatment… What life looks like now
You officially completed treatment…congratulations! Now what? Like other areas of life where one completes a task, there are steps necessary to maintain positive results.
Laughter
“Laughter is the best medicine”, especially now. Scrolling through social media, humor was interspersed leading up the election results. You may think of entertainment when it comes to laughter–your favorite sitcom, comedian, or personality that evokes and good belly laugh. However, laughter has many purposes besides entertainment. It is a great means of coping during difficult times by offering relief from stress.
Work-Life Balance as an Attorney
Balancing a large caseload as an attorney while still handling the responsibilities of everyday life can often lead to anxiety and depression. If you are struggling to find balance continue to read for some helpful tips on managing work-life balance as an attorney.
Mindfulness in the Midst of a Pandemic
As a therapist, people tend to look to me for answers. We ask the questions to gain understanding and help guide and walk with people on their journeys. In the midst of a pandemic, how does that work though?
Mental health, addiction treatment important amid crisis
It’s no surprise that people are feeling anxious right now.
Workers are worrying about how they’ll pay the rent as hours are cut back. Young parents are trying to do their jobs remotely while watching their children who are home from school. Older people are weighing the health risks of making a quick run to the grocery store.
Most people’s lives have been turned upside down by the coronavirus.
As Congress takes action to keep our economy strong and our people healthy, we can’t forget those who far too often have been left behind – people who are living with mental illness and those struggling with addiction.
It’s estimated that 1 in 5 people in our country are living with mental illness or substance use disorders. Sadly, people with mental illness and people with substance use disorders may fail to get the treatment they need in a typical year. And as we know, this year is anything but typical.
We know that people who misuse opioids are at high risk for coronavirus. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and other health experts, opioids impact the respiratory and pulmonary health of users and make them more susceptible to respiratory infections, including coronavirus.
People who are living with a mental illness or addiction often have other health conditions that make them more likely to suffer severe complications from the coronavirus.
Responding to the coronavirus pandemic requires a comprehensive health care strategy, including increasing access to community mental health and addiction treatment services. And the best way we can do that is to include the expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in the next emergency package passed by Congress.
Six years ago, we worked together to pass our Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act. It created quality standards of care and funding to open community clinics that are transforming mental health and addiction treatment.
After only two years of operations, communities that have CCBHCs are providing life-saving services. They work closely with law enforcement and our schools and coordinate with hospitals to dramatically reduce emergency room visits.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, they’ve led to a 60% decrease in time spent in jails, a 41% decrease in homelessness and a 63% decrease in emergency department visits for behavioral health. That’s a big deal when every hospital bed matters right now.
CCBHCs also are well-positioned to support those struggling to cope with the stress of coronavirus, whether it’s anxiety, depression, loneliness brought on by social isolation or even trauma faced by front-line health care workers. And many CCBHCs provide telemedicine services, allowing people to access help without increasing their potential exposure to the virus.
As our nation confronts COVID-19, we must not leave those with mental illness and addiction disorders behind. And the good news is, by working together, we can make sure that doesn’t happen.
