News

Military members and their families have unique mental health needs. But a study shows that up to 35 percent of military recipients don’t have access to adequate psychiatric care despite government insurance that covers such services.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the study looked at 39,487 U.S. Zip codes with at least one beneficiary of Tricare, the Defense Department health-care program that covers uniformed service members, retirees and their families. Researchers combined data from a variety of federal sources with community information.

The researchers knew there were fewer than 500 military treatment facilities that provide psychiatric care, so they broadened their search to include access to civilian psychiatrists, too. They found that 35 percent of Tricare beneficiaries lived in communities where the ratio between residents and psychiatrists — military or civilian — is more than 20,000 to 1. Another 6 percent lived more than a 30-minute drive from a military or civilian psychologist.

Access varied by region. Although 13 percent of the Tricare recipients lived in communities without shortages, 47 percent, mostly in the Northeast and on the Pacific coast, lived in places with civilian psychiatrist shortages that had an adequate number of military psychiatrists. The 35 percent who lived where there were shortages of both were mostly in the South, interior West and Midwest.

Those who lived in places with both low incomes and high income inequality were more than two times more likely to have psychiatrist shortages. Retirees were nearly twice as likely to experience shortages and nearly four times as likely to have no access.

The researchers note that many civilian psychiatrists don’t accept Tricare insurance because its reimbursements are low. According to a 2021 evaluation of the program, just 37 percent of civilian behavioral health providers surveyed reported that they accepted military insurance. When the researchers applied that acceptance rate to their data, the number of beneficiaries experiencing shortages rose to 60 percent.

Read more at WashingtonPost.com.

Since he began volunteering two months ago for weekend shifts at a clinic in one of this border city’s largest shelters, Dr. Brian Elmore has treated about 100 migrants for respiratory viruses and a handful of more serious emergencies.

But it’s a problem he hasn’t yet managed to address that worries him the most – the worsening trauma that so many migrants carry after long journeys north that often involve witnessing murders and suffering from kidnappings and sexual assault.

“Most of our patients have symptoms of PTSD — I want to initiate a screening for every patient,” said Elmore, an emergency medicine doctor, at Clinica Hope. It was opened this fall by the Catholic nonprofit Hope Border Institute with help from Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, which borders Juarez.

Doctors, social workers, shelter directors, clergy and law enforcement say growing numbers of migrants suffer violence that amounts to torture and are arriving at the U.S.-Mexican border in desperate need of trauma-informed medical and mental health treatment.

But resources for this specialized care are so scarce, and the network of shelters so overwhelmed by new arrivals and migrants who’ve been stuck for months by U.S. asylum policies, that only the most severe cases can be handled.

Read more at AP.org.

A new program created in the Lowcountry of Beaufort, SC is addressing the mental health needs in the Hispanic community.

“I always thought or hoped that I would work with this population,” Maria Renee Josey, Director of La Isla House Mental Counseling Program for Hispanics, said. “So I’m excited to be able to do that.”

Scott Wierman, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, says his organization has a long-standing relationship with and has given money to the Mental Health America-Beaufort/Jasper.

“When Mental Health came to us and said there’s actually a segment of our population that is underserved,” Wierman said. “We had a real interest in trying to see if we could partner with them to increase their services to a population that was desperately in need of mental health services.”

Wierman says this was a critical need for the Hispanic population. Up to $90,000 over two years will help fund a counselor’s salary and benefits.

Josey, the bilingual counselor and director of La Isla house, says this will help underserved individuals who may face multiple problems.

“I was born and raised in Guatemala. I moved here fairly recently, less than three years ago,” Josey said. “So I think having someone not only that speaks your own language but knows your cultural background as a Latino American person, I think that’ll help with people feeling more comfortable.”

The structure of the new MHABJ Hispanic mental health program includes counseling services at the VIM Hilton Head Island and Bluffton-Jasper clinics one day per week and group therapy for up to eight individuals with a psychiatric disorder three days per week at MHABJ’s office in Bluffton. Josey, a new hire, is passionate about psychology, and she is also a professional racquetball player, which she plans to incorporate into her sessions.

Read more at WJCL.com.

In order to highlight pockets of excellence across the country, the NNED selects a partner organization to highlight once a month. Center for Holistic Development, Inc. has been selected as the Partner of the Month for February in celebration of Black History Month.

Center for Holistic Development, Inc. serves a diverse community by providing holistic behavioral healthcare services and education programs to individuals, families, and groups since 2001. The organization’s programs and services are uniquely designed to culturally, linguistically, and developmentally meet the need of all individuals that walk through its doors.

Some of the programs and services that are currently offered:

• Outpatient Counseling
• Real Talk Social Emotional Learning
• Nurturing Parenting program
• Family Support Services
• Intensive In-Home Services

Learn more about Center for Holistic Development, Inc. and its mission to provide behavioral health programs, activities, and resources to those in need.

View a list of previous NNED Partners of the Month.

Each year during the month of February, we recognize and celebrate Black History Month. This is an important time to acknowledge the role African Americans have played in the United States throughout history (and present) and to recognize and celebrate their achievements.

Historical adversity such as slavery and exclusion from basic rights like healthcare, education, and other resources – translates into socio-economic disparities experienced by African Americans today.

As we all know, mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race or background, however, background and identity can make access to mental health treatment much more difficult. Ongoing stigma and lack of access to health care are barriers for anyone with a mental health condition, but experts argue there is a particular disparity when it comes to minorities, especially African Americans, which can contribute to individuals not receiving proper support or treatment to feel better.

Mental illness affects 1 in 4 Americans. However, African American adults are 20% more likely to experience mental health issues than the rest of the population.

Black History Month is a celebration of all African Americans, however, every month of the year we should be working to break down barriers for all minorities. African Americans should have proper access to mental health and substance abuse resources and care – regardless of socioeconomic status. It starts with us – from the bottom up – by building awareness of the disparities within the black community and by doing our part to advocate for equal rights and creating real change within ourselves and in our communities.

Read more at PlymouthPsychGroup.com.

Just days after the tragedy in Monterey Park, we are shocked and extremely saddened to learn of the mass shooting in Half Moon Bay. We mourn the loss and injury of all the victims and those who have been touched by this tragedy. The Lunar New Year is a time meant for celebration and joy.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Organization (SAMHSA) and the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) mourn these losses and understand the mental health implications for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. As these communities work toward healing, we would like to provide some resources:

• AANHPI Resources
  • AANHPI In-Language Resource List – This list provides resources on safety planning, domestic violence, COVID-19, and more.
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander Resources on Discrimination, Anti-Asian Racism, and Trauma – NNED offers a compiled list of resources for AAPI communities facing anti-Asian hate, violence, and trauma.
  • Ripple Effects: The Impact of Anti-AAPI Violence on Asian American and Pacific Islander Behavioral Health Providers in California – This brief synthesizes insights, reflections, and recommendations from a series of listening sessions held with AAPI behavioral health providers in California.
  • Asian American Health Initiative Resource Library – This directory includes mental health, COVID-19, physical health, and other resources.
• Trauma and Grief Resources
  • Coping with Grief After Community Violence – This SAMHSA fact sheet discusses tips on how to cope with grief following tragedy.
  • Managing Distress Grounding Tips for Crime Victims, Survivors and Family Members of Mass Violence Incidents – Learn about grounding and mindfulness techniques that may help with intense negative feelings.
  • Tips for Survivors of a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event: Coping with Retraumatization – This brochure explains the signs and symptoms of retraumatization, and offers guidance on how to manage these symptoms.
  • Psychological First Aid for First Responders – This fact sheet provides tips for emergency and disaster response workers to help disaster survivors cope with the psychological aspects of a traumatic event.
• Resources for Community Leaders
  • Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources – This toolkit is designed to help communities prepare for and respond to victims of mass violence and terrorism in the most timely, effective, and compassionate manner possible.
  • Tips for Community Leaders: Supporting Your Community’s Remembering of Mass Violence Victims – This tip sheet provides community leaders with guidance around honoring the victims of tragedy in the immediate aftermath and long-term.
  • Unexpected Challenges for Communities in the Recovery Phase of a Mass Violence Incident – This resource discusses the challenges that communities face in the aftermath of violence, and how to overcome them.
• Helplines
  • Disaster Distress Helpline – SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters; 1-800-985-5990.
  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Helpline – The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress; call or text 988.