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A Breaking Point for Mental Health
By Laura Knoy on Wednesday, October 7, 2009.
Over the past year the number of mental health patients in New Hampshire jumped by thirteen percent. But even as demand for services goes up, budget cuts are on their way that could affect the amount support that’s provided. We’ll look at how the Granite State delivers mental health care and how it will deal with rising caseloads and the lack of funding to support those cases.
Guests
- Jay Couture, Executive Director of Seacoast Mental Health Center and Director of the New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association
- Nick Toumpas, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
We'll also hear from
- Fran Wendelboe, Republican Representative from New Hampton and member of the New Hampshire House Finance Committee
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As a concerned Parent, I recently read a published article in The Boston Globe,article dated May 29th, 2009,
Titled;
Report: Mental health services needed for NH kids, article dated May 29th, 2009.......
In brief, the article points out disturbing inadequacies within the Mental Health Services for NH Kids......
This report was founded on paper and e-mail surveys of hundreds of NH families, preschool officials and health care providers between November and February......The New Hampshire Association for Infant Mental Health surveyed parents, treatment providers and others to inventory mental health services for children up to age 6. It estimated that close to 10 percent of those children need mental health services, but it said the state faces a serious lack of services.
The article goes on to quote project director Deborah Abelman, "Left untreated," the report said, "infant mental health concerns manifest themselves in behavioral issues in child care, children not being prepared to learn when they reach school age, rejection by peers and negative impacts on families and communities."
My question, What is NH Mental health Services doing to address/correct this situation....?
Providers have been underfunded for years and the DHHS wouldn't even follow their own rate setting rules. We have seen a nearly 25% in the state budget over the past three years. Those huge increases did not go to mental health providers but they are first to be cut when the budget increases cannot be sustained.
The reports that came out of the Commission to Develop a Comprehensive State Mental Health Plan offer a blueprint for effectively integrating mental health care into a variety of silos - criminal justice, healthcare, employment, housing, substance use, education. The State's 10-year plan also provides a more detailed vision for what changes need to be made to improve the system. Thoughtful consideration and careful articulation of how to achieve a more functional and effective system has been made and now is the time for action and implementation. The Mental Health Council is ready to serve as a convening and advocacy organization to support this effort.
This is a small state where we could make significant improvements if we can effectively collaborate.