Mental health is one of the most stigmatized and underutilized of all medical services. For many people, needing mental health treatment feels like a weakness. For others, tradition, family raising, or culture can be a significant barrier to services because of stigma or misunderstanding. In some communities, financial struggles or lack of facilities can contribute to a lack of care. Mental health providers can provide access to more people by implementing the following strategies:
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Training Staff in Cultural Competence
Providing training for staff on cultural competence and diversity can help providers understand and respond to the needs of diverse communities. In some cultures, mental health is stigmatized, or alternative and folk medicine is the accepted treatment. For people in these cultures, providers can help facilitate understanding care by educating themselves about the hesitancies clients will encounter. Understanding human capital management (HCM) resources, how to manage them, and how to provide effective training can help organizations provide better training and continuing education.
Expanding Teletherapy Options
Offering teletherapy or virtual services can make mental health care more accessible to people who have difficulty coming to appointments in person. Teletherapy can be helpful for many people with mental illnesses that make daily tasks difficult, like depression, anxiety, and autism. It can also be helpful for people who are remotely located, who need frequent services, or who don’t have reliable transportation. For some people with very low incomes, transportation to services is prohibitive and teletherapy will provide cheaper and more consistent access.
Partnering with Community Organizations
Partnering with community organizations, such as schools, community centers, or social service agencies can help providers reach a wider audience and provide services in more convenient locations. Many people, especially busy families, find it prohibitively difficult to find the time to access mental health services. This is especially hard for those who are seeking frequent therapy or counseling sessions. By providing these services in places people are already going to, providers make them more convenient and more likely to be utilized.
Offering Sliding Scale Fees
Offering flexible pricing or sliding scale fees can help make mental health care more affordable for those who cannot afford full-price services. In some situations, people who are in need are not able to acquire federal healthcare assistance because they lack the help they need to fill out applications, find paperwork, or access transportation to government medical offices. Other people are ineligible for government medical assistance but still need financial help to access the health services they need. By offering sliding scale fees, you will provide services to people who otherwise cannot access them.
Accepting Insurance
Accepting insurance can reduce financial barriers to mental health care and help more people access services. Many of the people who are in the greatest need of mental healthcare services are living in poverty or low-income families and cannot pay for services. For these people, clinics that accept state or federal insurance such as Medicaid provide a much-needed service. Until more organizations accept these payment methods, a large segment of society will not be able to access the mental health treatments they require.
Providing Transportation Assistance
Providing transportation assistance or subsidies can help reduce barriers for people who lack access to transportation. In some states and cities, Medicaid and other organizations will help with transportation, but this is not available in all areas. These services can also be complicated to apply for, and in many cases, reimbursement is the only option. Clinics can provide transportation assistance for their clients or consider forming connections with other local companies and organizations, such as taxi companies, to facilitate this service.
Offering Flexible Scheduling
Offering flexible scheduling, such as evening or weekend appointments, can make it easier for people to attend appointments and access care. Many people who require frequent therapy or appointments find scheduling to be such a problem that they eventually end services. Providing appointments outside of regular business hours can eliminate the scheduling hurdle and allow more people access to services.
Utilizing Technology
Utilizing technology, such as mobile apps or online tools, can help improve access to mental health resources and provide support between appointments. These apps can help clients access care outside of appointment hours, find support through online forums or in-person support communities, and access their patient records easily and simply.
Improving Outreach and Education
Improving outreach and education efforts can help raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma, and increase access to care. Education is one of the best tools to help the community as a whole reduce the stigma and negative perception of those who need mental health services. It can also help mental health sufferers find the services that are available in the community. One way for social service organizations to educate the community about their services is by having information booths at local health fairs, community events, and festivals.
Building a Network of Providers
Building a network of providers, including primary care providers, can help people receive coordinated care and access a range of services. By connecting with other providers, you increase the number of patients who will hear about your services and those providers can provide information about you to their clients in need. Referrals and recommendations are great ways to help people learn about the services available in their communities.
Conclusion
Mental health care facilities provide important services that every community needs. People within those communities need easy, affordable, and unbiased access to these services for the good of society. Families and communities are improved when mental health care is prevalent in their area, and providers can be the key to better access.