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My Word: Mental-health aid at risk |
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Written by By Vicki Misner Garner
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Sunday, 28 February 2010 00:00 |
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"If only efficiency and outcomes mattered in these debates." That's a quotation from my high-school friend, who is an editor for a major newspaper, after he saw a link to a television story I recently posted on a social-networking site. It was about my agency's need to limit mental-health services to the poor and homeless. Our state funding, which pays for this service, hasn't even been cut yet this year, but it has been flat for many years. We are anticipating total cuts this year in the millions of dollars. But the demand since 2008 has already driven us to shut off appointments to new people seeking treatment. This is unprecedented for my agency. Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare has provided services in Orange County for more than 25 years, and we have always found a way to serve everyone, at least with a doctor's visit and medication when they need it. |
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My Word: State is failing its mentally ill |
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Violence and mental illness has been the centerpiece of the Sentinel's coverage of the man who shot six former co-workers in downtown Orlando in November and this month was declared incompetent to stand trial. Without counterbalancing information on mental illnesses, it would be easy to sweep those of us who are living with these disorders of the brain into a collective identity made of the myth that we are categorically violent people. Contrary to perception, the greatest toll of mental illnesses isn't in the headlines; it is in suicide, emergency rooms, homelessness and packed prisons. Out of these hidden places, the truth is rising to the top. Florida is ranked 49th in the nation for per-capita spending on serious mental illnesses. We are nearly dead-last in every measure of treating severe mental illness. |
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Doors closing for poor, uninsured who need psychiatric help |
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Written by By Kate Santich, Orlando Sentinel
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Friday, 26 February 2010 00:00 |
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An Orange County mental-health facility has had to stop taking appointments for new patients because of money problems. Other counties may follow. He is 27, unemployed, uninsured and suffering from insomnia, mood swings and what seems to be post-traumatic stress disorder. But because the state has not increased its funding in the past decade for the programs that might help him, he can't get a psychiatric evaluation or medication. "I was angry before," said John, an Orlando man who asked that his last name not be used because the stigma of mental illness might make it even harder to find a job. "That is part of my problem. But now I'm even more angry … My life depends on this. I don't know what's going to happen next." For the first time in a quarter-century, Orange County's sole provider of outpatient psychiatric help and medication for the poor and uninsured is having to turn away new patients – including John and potentially hundreds more in similar straits. Worse, advocates for those with mental illness say, other Florida counties may soon follow suit. |
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Effective February 8th, 2010 Lakeside will not have appointments available for individuals, new to Lakeside, without insurance who are seeking services from our Medication Clinic. Due to an unprecedented 25.1% annual increase in referrals to our Adult Medication Clinic and a limited number of appointments which are reimbursed by our funding partners, regretfully we have no choice at this time but to make this very difficult decision. To ensure that our current clients are able to continue to receive their current level of care and services we can only offer appointments to individuals who are established clients of Lakeside. |
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