In an eye-opening episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, Dr. Alice Feller, a clinical psychiatrist with a distinguished career spanning psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, substance abuse programs, and private practice, offers a 12-point plan to improve treatment for mental health patients in the US.
Dr. Feller's insights shed light on the alarming state of mental health care in America and proposes concrete steps toward systemic improvement.
Mental Health in America: A Widespread Issue
Research shows that mental illnesses affect tens of millions of people in the United States every year, with only half of those affected receiving treatment.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 57.8 million American adults live with some form of mental illness. Dr. Feller emphasizes the significant impact of legislative actions, or lack thereof, in aggravating this national crisis over the years.
A Personal Motivation to Help
Dr. Feller's journey into psychiatry was driven by personal experiences. Growing up with a father who suffered from serious mental illness, she witnessed firsthand the profound effects on her family.
Her early experiences with her father's struggles and dangerous behaviors fueled her commitment to the field, seeing her patients as "my people" and finding joy in her profession.
Mental Health Versus Criminal Justice
A striking revelation from Dr. Feller is the shift from psychiatric hospitals to jails for inpatient treatment of serious mental illnesses.
This transition began in the 1960s due to the IMD exclusion—a law that restricts the use of Medicaid for psychiatric hospital care. As a result, individuals with severe mental illness often end up in jails, a scenario worsened by the systemic gaps in mental health care.
The decisions leading to the current state of mental health care are rooted in historical events and political maneuvers.
Dr. Feller recounts how influential figures and cultural works, such as Thomas Szasz's book The Myth of Mental Illness and Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, contributed to the stigmatization of mental health care. These cultural shifts emboldened political figures like Ronald Reagan to justify closing down mental hospitals under the guise of fiscal prudence.
Once again, greed emerges as a powerful incentive and factor in decision-making in the U.S.
The Consequences of Untreated Mental Illness
The repercussions of inadequate mental health treatment are profound. Dr. Feller notes that significant portions of the homeless population and prison inmates struggle with untreated mental illnesses.
This not only burdens the individuals and their families, but also imposes tremendous costs on society as a whole -- including expenditures on SSI for lifetime disability, homeless services, and police resources.
Solutions for a Better Future
Dr. Feller's book, American Madness: Fighting for Patients in a Broken Mental Health System, offers 12 actionable solutions to improve mental health care in the United States. Key recommendations include:
Abolishing the IMD Exclusion: This would allow Medicaid to cover psychiatric hospital care, reducing the strain on jails and prisons.
Implementing Early Intervention Protocols: Ensuring early intervention for psychotic episodes can significantly improve outcomes for individuals with serious mental illnesses.
Education and Training: Increasing awareness and training for teachers, counselors, and therapists to recognize early signs of mental illness.
Reforming HIPAA: Modifying privacy laws to facilitate better communication between healthcare providers and families.
Enhancing Psychiatric Care: Providing consistent, long-term psychiatric care and therapy to those in need.
A Call to Action
Dr. Feller expresses a desire for readers to become involved in advocating for these changes. She encourages everyone to read her book as a step towards launching a political movement to address the systemic failures in mental health care.
To learn more about Dr. Alice Feller's work and to purchase her book, visit her website at alicefellermd.com. The book is available in hardcover, paperback, and as an ebook on Amazon.
This discussion highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the mental health care system. By understanding the historical context, recognizing the consequences of neglect, and advocating for change, she believes we can work towards a future where mental health care is accessible and effective for all.
Listen to the interview: https://feeds.podetize.com/ep/3pNgjMun8/media
Watch the podcast: https://youtu.be/QgjJK11hPdo
Read the transcript:
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