THE INEQUITY OF HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE

NEWSFLASH!!! Access to Health Care and Mental Health Care is NOT Created Equal in the US. Not by a long shot.

I recently experienced a severe mental health crisis, which led to a failed suicide attempt and interaction by law enforcement rather than health care professionals. These experiences changed mine and my son's life forever- (it took over 5 months to get an appt with a psychiatrist- 5 months far too late).

SIDE BAR: Have you ever felt a pull on your heart, leading you, shutting doors in your face (doors that have always been open to you), so that other doors will open? I have had this feeling for months. My experience was meant for me and me alone. The pain, struggle, hardship all was sent to me for a reason(s). Many times, one must fall to their very lowest point to find their greatest calling.

Did You Know??

"Black adults in the U.S. are more likely than white adults to report persistent symptoms of emotional distress such as sadness, hopelessness, and feeling like everything is an effort. And according to one survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Latinx adults reported significantly higher rates of depression during the pandemic compared with other populations. Yet in 2020, only one in three Black adults with mental health conditions received treatment. And only 10 percent of Latinx people with a psychological disorder contacted a mental health specialist." https://lnkd.in/gzBgFHjr

Unequal access to health care and mental health care has deep systemic roots, "findings confirm that even holding socioeconomic factors constant, communities with large racial and ethnic groups have to travel farther to hospitals than majority-White communities. Travel distance inequities become even more glaring when considering that the socioeconomic factors the study holds constant are themselves influenced by racial prejudice." https://lnkd.in/g6tqjdgH?

During my legal career, when faced with a question or a problem to which I did not know the answer- I politely said- "I do not know yet. I will research the matter and come back to you with information and potential resolutions." Of course, I do not think I can solve the long term systemic problem of unequal access to mental health and health care. Yet I know this much- I am going to research, find ways to take action and share it with you!

Stand Up, Speak Out and Be The Change!

#equalaccesstohealthcare #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthadvocacy #systemicracism #bethechange