Mental Health Care for All

Everyone needs mental health care. People face high costs, lack of information, and social stigma that make our mental health support systems inaccessible. Remove healthcare system barriers and give each person access to online mental health services. 

Problem

People face high costs, lack of information, and social stigma that make our mental health support systems inaccessible. Many individuals with mental health challenges face greater risk of trauma from criminalization, police brutality, or incarceration. COVID-19 has exacerbated this, which is why we need to ensure that our healthcare systems plan for and include online access from the start.

Our Plan

Improve accessibility of online mental health services by updating existing resources. Provide critical support for people seeking mental health support and training for health care workers.

  • Minimize high costs of mental health support for both clients and counselors.

    • Support Medicaid expansion and combat efforts to restrict coverage.

    • Ensure Telehealth is covered by insurance and capped at the rate of in-person services.

    • Boost transparency of insurance guidelines and restrictions.

    • Support grants that provide telehealth resources for health care workers and clients. This should include both technology (e.g. tablets or basic laptops that can be used for health-related calls) and non-digital office equipment such as chairs.

  • Increase availability of trained mental health professionals.

    • Ensure that medical doctors are equipped to provide online mental health screenings and referrals to mental health agencies and resources.  

    • Use virtual walk-in wellbeing clinics and email-assisted online therapy programs to improve the responsiveness of services. 

    • Maintain an appropriate ratio of mental health professionals per client. 

  • Encourage existing organizations and support groups to create permanent online portals for their existing services.

    • Coordinate with the National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI). 

    • Pair all online health services with an IT specialist that can assist with troubleshooting.

  • Boost peer-led support systems online for mental health, not just physician-driven ones. 

    • Offer more peer leadership training opportunities.

    • Raise awareness of warmlines, which can provide support services not typically available after office hours, such as assistance with loneliness, symptom management, and the process of recovery.

    • Create pathways for approaching escalation cases to ensure those with more severe mental health needs are receiving direct care. 

  • Coordinate with school systems and workplaces to move mental health online. 

    • Mandate equitable and age-appropriate mental health curriculum and resources for schools and workplaces. 

This Matters

Years of misinformation, inadequate care, and stigma, as well as the isolation of the pandemic and ongoing racial violence, have brought the United States mental health crisis to an all-time high. Sustainable, funded, and broadly accessible mental health structures are not only helpful but lifesaving.

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