Editor’s Note: This opinion piece makes reference to struggles related to mental health. If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. Text or call 988 to chat with someone now or click this link for other options.
Mental Health services in Three Rivers and St. Joseph County are lacking. Oftentimes we have to travel out of town to find some relief. Now, I don’t want to take away from the amazing people who are working tirelessly in this county to change the system and support these kids, but I do want to highlight a few hurdles I have encountered throughout my time as a mom who struggles with mental health.
As many of you know I am no stranger to mental health struggles. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety when I was 19, so I have been through the system for 20 years now. And let me tell you, the system sucks.
I was never able to utilize certain services because for many years they only took referrals for people with Medicaid and I have always had private insurance. I found other avenues to take and traveled out of town to handle my situation but some people do not have that option. Why aren’t all insurances created equally?
When my son was diagnosed with autism his provider wanted him to receive services so that he could get a referral for Applied Behavior Analysis therapy. But, as you can probably guess, he was denied because of his insurance status. So I looked into therapy through our insurance and it would have cost us $1,000 a week. Who has that kind of funding to be able to pay $4,000 a month for health care? So I took matters into my own hands and taught myself how to be an amateur ABA therapist.
When my daughter was diagnosed with depression and anxiety a few years ago I was very reluctant to see what services were offered in our area. But I thought, maybe things have changed a bit. I was very pleased to discover the PAWS Clinic and we have been utilizing their services since she was in middle school, and it has been working. But recently things have taken a turn with her mental health.
I spent Friday evening in my local emergency room with my daughter. Long story short, she was having a mental health crisis and I felt it was necessary to seek some professional help for the situation. We arrived at the ER, checked in, spoke to a nurse and even saw a doctor for a brief moment. The consensus was that he would call a social worker to speak to my daughter and determine if she needed to be hospitalized or not. I agreed to this plan. We then sat in the patient room for what seemed like an eternity. But that’s to be expected when you go to the ER, right? Well, when the doctor finally returned, he very nonchalantly said that the social worker wouldn’t be coming after all. When I asked why, the reason given to me was because my daughter does not have Medicaid insurance so they were sending us home. Umm…excuse me?
When did it become a thing within the health care world that one person is not as important as another because of their insurance status, or lack thereof? Why isn’t everyone treated equally regardless of their insurance? Why was my daughter’s mental health tossed to the side? Why doesn’t she matter? I was furious when we left the hospital on Friday and I’m still furious writing about it on Monday.
I just can’t comprehend that someone can make the determination that one person’s life is more important than another’s based on their insurance status. I’m sure this has been happening since the beginning of time and I’m just now seeing it for what it is, and I feel like it’s ludicrous. Where is the support for people who are having suicidal ideations? Are they just expected to call the Suicide Helpline and not seek professional medical help in-person? What is a person supposed to do in this case?
I hate our insurance and medical system in the U.S. Every single person should receive equal services when it comes to their health care and mental health. We need better access to services and we need them to be available to everyone. We can’t keep letting the hospitals or insurance companies decide who should have access and who shouldn’t. We have to start advocating for change. We have to stop accepting this as the norm. We have to put in the work so that when our children are experiencing a medical or mental health crisis, they will all receive equal care no matter what their insurance status is.
We were lucky and my daughter’s doing a bit better right now but not everyone is as lucky as we were. I’m fearful for that person who goes to the hospital with concerns for their mental health and they are turned away like we were. What are they supposed to do? What will we do to support them? When will big medical corporations and insurance companies realize that all people are created equally and should be treated equally and receive the same care. When will Three Rivers realize that they are part of the flawed system and something needs to change? I hope to live long enough for my children to see that day.
Steph Hightree is a hot mess mom who is fueled by stress and too much caffeine. She is a Three Rivers native who talks about the good, the bad, and well, everything else about parenthood.
Any views or opinions expressed in “#MomLife” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Watershed Voice staff or its board of directors.
