Policy Advocacy Project

For our policy advocacy project, we are focusing on the accessibility of substance abuse treatment. This is a subject that is so near and dear to my own heart for several reasons. Working in a substance abuse agency, I have been witness to some incredible transformations. Individuals who were jobless, incarcerated, with no license who have become gainfully employed with their own housing and living healthy and meaningful lives. I think of one client whom I am working with in an aftercare setting. Today, she shared with me all the amazing progress she has made over the past two weeks; she was offered six jobs, she is filling for divorce from an unhealthy marriage, she obtained a commitment at a local A.A. meeting. I saw the pride in her face, and how amazing she was that she had accomplished all these things. She stated that it was only a year and a half ago she was spending time in crack houses, with no money, and no promise of a job. Now, she has purpose, meaning, and an incredible bright future. Recovery is possible.

That is what we wanted to stress in this campaign. One of the biggest barriers to substance abuse treatment is stigma. There is little understood about addiction. It is important that the general public be made aware that it is a treatable and curable disease for which their is help and treatment. Additionally, through this campaign we hoped to reach people already within recovery communities to empower individuals to raise their voice and realize the power of their story. We also shared some focus on the Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act that hopes to expand access to treatment especially to opioid dependent clients.

In addition to the Twitter campaign, a letter was sent to Senator Cory Booker asking for support for the aforementioned act.

Module 2- Critical Thinking

As much success as human rights campaigns have seen in recent history, there is still much more that needs to be done to ensure that the basic human rights of all individuals are granted and ensured. Both discriminated and stigmatized, individuals suffering from any kind of mental illness have seen little support through federal policy. A large piece of this discrimination is related to Medicaid laws and treatment. Current Medicare laws dictate the length of stay in a psychiatric setting an individual may obtain, despite what may be medically or clinically necessary. In doing so, individuals with mental illness are forced to cope with their disorders often without proper treatment.

In addition to shortened stays, shortage of federal funds has also closed down several psychiatric hospitals. Therefore, not only is the quantity of an individual’s stay compromised, but the quality is as well. Basically, there are very few options for individuals with Medicaid or the underinsured.

Private insurances offer more to individuals with mental illness. Following the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are mandated to provide equal physical and mental health coverage.

So where does this leave Medicaid consumers? Clearly they are being discriminated against for not only their income, but their mental health status as well. Individuals with other treatable diseases such as asthma or diabetes rarely, if ever, receive this kind of discrimination. So why must policy treat mental illness so differently?

USA Today published a fantastic article about this exact subject highlighting the experience of those suffering from mental illness. 

http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/nation/2014/06/25/stigma-of-mental-illness/9875351/

Policy Brief Topic

Topic: Access to substance abuse treatment services for the uninsured or the underinsured.

Working in a substance abuse agency that does not accept insurance, I am able to gain a different perspective on the substance abuse treatment field. Insurance is gold. Without, it becomes extremely difficult for a client to obtain the care they may need. Most times, individuals must have some kind of involvement with the courts or the legal system to obtain necessary treatment. If an individual does not have insurance, is not on probation or has no other legal issues, it is almost impossible for them to receive treatment without the use of grants or public funds. Additionally, there is typically a small window of opportunity during which an individual with a substance use disorder will ask for help prior to relapse and re engaging in use. If we are to best assist these individuals and help them save their lives, it is imminent that they receive care during that very small window. Should an individual be shut down or turned away from treatment as a result of lack of funding, lack of health insurance, or scarcity of recourses, that window closes, putting that person in even more risk of loosing their life. Addiction does not discriminate. For that reason, I see it as our job as clinicians to ensure that the quality of care does not discriminate either. As part of this policy brief, I will look a the Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act 2014, which focuses on the access to substance abuse treatment.