NR582 Week 6 Assignment Impact of Mental Health Resources on Public Health in the USA

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Impact of Mental Health Resources on Public Health in the USA

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NR582 Week 6 Assignment

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Introduction

• The purpose of this presentation is to analyze the impact of mental health resources on healthcare delivery and outcomes in the USA .

Mental health can be defined as a state where an individual is psychologically, socially, and emotionally balanced, either in the physical, psychological, or interpersonal domain of the person’s life. Mental health services in the USA are generally scarce, and this affects the formulation of suitable and appropriate solutions to the aforementioned health issue. This presentation aims to describe the availability of mental health services applicable to public health policies in today’s world and the improvements that may be made. Through examination of the mental health resources and public health relations, we are in a position to assess the strategies that can reform mental health services to boost the health of society (Campion, 2018).

Problem Statement

• What impact does the lack of mental health resources in the USA have on overall public health?

One of the most notable issues of mental health issues that is prominently seen in the USA is the availability of adequate resources needed to address the problem. Fixing this means that people with disabilities, the elderly, children, women, and men end up not being able to receive the necessary care that they require, hence deteriorating their health conditions and consequently becoming a liability to society. The central question of this analysis is: What effects does the inadequate health state of the population suffer from this deficiency regarding the population’s overall health? The consequence of such is not only experienced by the individuals who are struggling with mental health concerns, but also by families, the workplace, including employers, and communities at large. These findings underscore the importance of policy interventions (Campion, 2018).

 Background

• Mental health issues are prevalent in the USA, affecting millions of individuals annually. Addressing these issues is crucial for improving public health outcomes.

Depression and anxiety disorders are pervasive in the USA, with a vast number of people suffering from such diseases every year. Disorders that are often associated with neuroplasticity alterations include clinical depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and they always have consequences that affect the economy and the individual. Surprisingly, with the frequency of occurrence, there are still many departments in the context of mental health that pass by the problem of a lack of funding and personnel. Such scarcity leads to massive waiting times for such treatment, poor treatment, and, correspondingly, to a high level of mental illnesses that are not addressed. It is vital to raise awareness of such matters to establish the appropriate means and ways of tackling such situations  (Campion, 2018).

Importance of the Topic

• Mental health affects all aspects of life, including physical health, productivity, and social relationships. Addressing mental health is essential for the overall well-being of the population.

The causes of prevention and control, and treatment of mental health are many. Common mental disorders are known to aggravate physical diseases and hence can lead to development of other serious diseases like cardiac problems and diabetes. Mental health problems reduce efficacy since there are more cases of truancy among workers suffering from poor mental health, less worker performance. Another area that is affected is interpersonal interaction because people with the illness may have challenges isolating themselves from their society or having strained relations with their relatives and friends. Strengthening mental health capacities is one of the areas of healthcare that has to be addressed not only at the societal and economic levels  (CDC, 2020).

Urgency of Addressing the Issue

• With increasing mental health crises and limited resources, immediate action is necessary to provide adequate support and services to those in need.

The importance of human mental health crises in the USA cannot be overemphasised, especially bearing in mind the current upsurge in rates of the disorders and the dearth of appropriate solutions. Emergencies associated with mental health, such as suicide and drug overdages have been on the increase, especially in recent years, calling for timely and effective intervention. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (hence named as Covid-19) has also accelerated mental health issues, which only shows that there is a need for better support for mental health concerns. As such, urgent interventions are needed to reverse these trends to improve favourable health effects (CDC, 2020).

Stakeholders

• Relevant stakeholders include patients, healthcare providers, the local and federal government, and community organizations.

There are multiple stakeholders that are engaged in the mental health sector and each of these players has his/her or their own set of preferences and worries. Individuals with mental disorders, ‘consumers’ as they are referred to in some countries, are in search of affordable and quality mental health services. The follow-up services that mental health clients receive are these services, which are delivered by psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. Still, these workers are faced with lots of patient traffic and resource constraints. It should however be noted that this is provided through the different levels of government, be it local or federal, whereby they either fund or subsidize, and/or regulate the provision of mental health services. Some of these organizations just offer support as well as try to advocate and get rid of small gaps that exist and stigma (CDC, 2020).

 Stakeholder Concerns

• Stakeholders are concerned about limited access to services, high costs, and the stigma associated with mental health issues.

There are several issues that are raised on mental health resources that are of significant concern to stakeholders. Harnessing of conventional and modern techniques: There are challenges that are faced by the patients, like cost, time, and even the taboo of going for treatment. Costs and funding are a key part of the healthcare industry and mental health services delivery, primarily since a healthcare provider may be concerned about the sustainability of his or her practice. Governments are faced with the question of how to respond to the new demand for mental health services within the limits of expense. Conflict of interest is also raised in his study, whereby community organisations fear the availability of enough resources in providing advocacy and services (CDC, 2020).

Key Factors

• Key factors to consider include the economic impact, healthcare infrastructure, and cultural attitudes towards mental health.

Several factors are very important in determining the status of mental health policies. The existence of mental health issues has far-reaching financial implications because if such disorders go unchecked, they contribute to increased expenditure on healthcare, decreased productivity, and social welfare. Structural factors also play a significant role in health sectors, since the utilisation of mental health caregivers and institutions places importance on accessibility of healthcare for the necessities of mental health. Mental health also affects political and economic policies owing to cultural prejudices, resulting in stigmatisation and misconceptions about seeking the requisite help. Awareness of these determinants is therefore key in the development of holistic mental health policies (Rauschenberg et al., 2021).

 Option 1: Increase Funding for Mental Health Services

The first possible solution in relation to resources is an adapted funding of mental health services according to their needs. Such an approach could avoid neglecting many aspects of a patient’s care, reduce waiting times, and provide better outcomes for patients overall. Advantages include an increase in its service delivery capacity, the overall quality of the services being delivered to patients, and the cost of treating mental health conditions over the long run due to early interventions. But this too has its disadvantages, such as absolutely higher initial costs and problems relating to a redistribution of a scarce resource in heavily stretched budgets and systems of public finance. 

Option 2: Implement Community-Based Programs

The stringent requirements of the standard hospital care make the concept of community-based mental health programs more appealing since they are cheaper and able to harness the support of the local community. Such programs have the ability to provide the mainstream and culturally assimilated to the programs and the client group members, ensuring a collective recognition between the participants. Advantages of EMR include better access to patients, better community involvement, and the possibility of carrying out interventions that may be needed in any region. However, similar to practising independently, community-based programs also have some downsides, such as the need for initial capital, the training of the providers, and also finding sources of finance. The relationships with the community must continually be solidified as these have been identified to be vital in attaining the goals of the organisation (Nickel & von dem Knesebeck, 2019).

Option 3: Enhance Telehealth Services

Improvement in telehealth services is another possibility; especially, mental health services could be made accessible through telehealth to those who need these services. Telehealth can grow the geographic availability of care and bridge the gaps in mental health service availability in many regional and remote communities. Potential advantages include enhanced access because of the ubiquity of telecommunication, reduced logistical limitations such as travel, and the ability to continue clinical management during times of crises, such as a virus outbreak. Some of the disadvantages include: technological challenges, for instance, issues related to the digital divide in the sense that the use of some of these technologies may require specific devices, and Internet connection; privacy or data security issues. Tackling these barriers is necessary in order to enhance the possibilities of the efficient utilisation of telehealth services (Haulman et al., 2020).

Recommendation

This would mean that if all the courses of action are analysed, the best strategy seems applicable to community mental health programmes. These programs are centralised and can provide equitable and culturally appropriate care to support the community throughout nursing. The healthcare delivery system can best use them to fill in the gaps that are presently unmet by the traditional models. Regarding the above-stated problems like high initial costs and community engagement, the following measures should be undertaken: One of the strategies that should be adopted is community sensitisation and involvement and the collaboration of community-based organisations. That is why this approach is promising as it can really make the mental state of the population better, and, therefore, the overall health of the population as well (Wilensky & Teitelbaum, 2022).

Conclusion

Therefore, practical steps involving Universal Health Coverage, the expansion of insurance services, and mental health parity should be taken to provide relevant solutions to the problem of the shortage of mental health services in the USA. This goes to prove that when one is facing a mental health challenge, they are affected in their overall health, ability to work and in the way they relate with society. Ideally, it is possible to direct such efforts to the target of integrating affordability and availability of mental health programs and accepting financial aid from the communities. If the mental health resources are expanded, and more consideration is given to the concerns of the stakeholders, the current system of treatment and support can be made better, saving and improving the lives of the community members.