Andre Health Blog

Article by Dusty Lindemann

When someone realizes they may be suffering from a mental health issue it can be overwhelming trying to determine where to turn for help. Most communities offer services to people suffering with mental health conditions.

Some of these services are offered free via grants from the government and it’s important that those afflicted know where to turn when they need help. The first step generally involves the family physician who is often the person who notices there is a mental health issue initially.

A doctor is apt to want to discuss various approaches to dealing with the mental health issue. One may to prescribe medications in the case or conditions such as depression or bipolar disorder. Most family physicians will also refer their patient to a competent therapist for further treatment.

The patient themselves can take their mental health treatment into their own hands by contacting their State Mental Health Agency. This is the office that handles all the government funded programs that aid in mental health. Here individuals can find information on the various types of mental illnesses as well as the symptoms that are commonly associated with each.

In addition to these services, patients may also be able to attend group therapy sessions. Although this is largely dependent on the mental health issue they are dealing with, this type of mental health issue can be incredibly helpful. One of the most challenging aspects of struggling with mental health conditions is the feeling of isolation that the patient typically experiences. It can be uncomfortable and awkward for someone to discuss their condition with a family member or friend. Although a therapist is crucial to their treatment plan, being able to discuss the matter with individuals who are living with it, or those who have dealt with it in the past, is incredibly comforting. Patients should inquire about any group sessions that focus on the mental health issue they are currently living with.

Taking advantage of any local mental health services is a wise thing to do. With all the government funded programs available, many people can find all the treatment options they require there. The staff at every State Mental Health Agency is highly trained to help individuals find the care and treatment they need to start to learn how to adapt and live with their mental health condition.

Article by Brian Stevens

Mental health insurance is a fairly new type of insurance. As recently as ten years ago, most insurers offered little if any coverage for mental health problems. Now, many states require that insurance companies include some form of mental health insurance coverage as part of their health insurance policies. Here’s how to get affordable mental health insurance.

What Does Mental Health Insurance Cover?

Mental health insurance coverages vary widely among insurance companies. Most insurance companies cover problems such as

* Anxiety * Depression * Relationship difficulties * Social phobias

They typically do not cover alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, nor do they cover therapy related to gender change.

Insurance companies typically allow around 20 to 30 sessions with a mental health professional per year, paying anywhere from 50-80 percent of the bill.

Selecting a Mental Health Insurance Policy

Whether you’re looking for an insurance policy that just covers mental health or a policy that includes both physical and mental health coverage, your best option for finding an affordable policy is to shop around. Go to an insurance comparison website and get quotes from multiple A-rated companies that you can compare. As you compare the policies, look for whether the policy:

* Requires a referral from your primary care physician or employee assistance program.

* Includes a preferred list of providers and hospitals you must choose from and what the financial consequences are if you choose someone else.

* Includes a separate annual deductible for mental health services.

* Pays for office visits, medication, respite care, outpatient hospital care, and inpatient hospital care and what the co-payments are for these services.

* Limits your number of visits. * Excludes certain diagnoses or pre-existing conditions.

* Includes an annual or lifetime cap for mental health coverage.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get mental health insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.

Access to mental health services varies across Ontario

It’s been a difficult few years for Ontarians, and if you’re feeling the stress, you’re not alone; a recent survey from the Canadian Association of Mental Health (CAMH) shows increasing levels of daily drinking and cannabis use, as well as high levels of “psychological distress”.

The study shows that over the last 10 years, for example, more people have started taking anti-depression and anti-anxiety medications.

Mental health addiction support unequal

At the same time, if you need publicly-funded help, you may have a problem. The recently-created Ontario Mental Health & Addictions Alliance says there are big differences between support that’s available in one part of the province over another, and they’re calling on the government to make access more equal. (Stevenson, Waplak and Associates is not a member.)

According to information collected by this coalition of mental health organizations

If you need supportive housing in one unspecified area of the province, your wait will be 1,097 days (approximately three years); the provincial average is 290 days, or just over eight months.
If you need residential addiction treatment, your average wait will be 41 days – but in the Central East Local Health Integration Network area, you could wait five times as long.
Even kids have unequal access to mental health care; in the Hamilton-Niagara region the wait for treatment is up to 283 days. Kids who live in the southeast corner of the province only wait 130.
Mental health a provincial election issue

More than 2.5 million people in Ontario live with mental health or addiction issues, and this coalition believes it’s time to have a more concrete plan in place.

They’re calling on provincial parties to take action and

invest in mental health and addictions services to provide equitable access to a core basket of services across Ontario;
reduce wait times to ensure that children and youth are getting timely access to treatment;
improve access to supportive housing across Ontario; and,
put government leadership in place to co-ordinate action across ministries and sectors

If you would like more information about this campaign, please visit www.vote4mha.ca.