Mesandy
09-20-2007, 03:13 PM
A Consumer's Guide To Mental Health Services ( part -1)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Service Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
A lot of the time I just sleep and the house doesn't get picked up. And dinner is late most nights. Sam yells at me for this but then he is sorry. What's wrong with me? I hope you can help me.
Letters like this are written every day by people who have problems - problems they find too great to bear alone. These people need help. Many choose to suffer in silence, rather than admit they need help. This often leads to more serious problems that are even harder to handle.
Usually people write to a Federal agency because they do not know where else to turn. Often, this agency refers them to their clergy or doctor, who may refer them to someone who specializes in solving personal problems. Sometimes troubled individuals may not attend a place of worship and may not have a family doctor. Or, if they visit a doctor, they may go in for what they consider to be strictly "physical" symptoms, and be reluctant to discuss what is really troubling them. But they need not keep their troubles bottled up within themselves. There are places available in their own communities where they can get help, and in the back of this pamphlet is a list of places that can be called if help is needed.
Asking for help is not an easy thing for many people to do, but is a wise move when a person feels that something is wrong.
ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS
Some people have many questions about what mental health services are, but they need not feel alone. Many who write to the Government ask the same questions. Some of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers, go something like this:
Q. When I do need help, where can I go?
A. There are over 3,000 mental health organizations throughout the country. For information about resources available in your community, contact your local mental health center or one of the local affiliates of national organizations listed in the back of this pamphlet. These agencies can provide you with information on services designed to meet the needs of those suffering from mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and phobias. In addition, they will have information regarding services designed for specific cultural groups, refugees, the elderly, children, and homosexuals.
Q. I don't have adequate personal finances, medical insurance, or hospitalization coverage - where would I get the money to pay for the service I may need?
A. In publicly funded mental health centers, such as those funded by State and municipal governments, the cost of any of the services generally is calculated by what you can afford to pay. So, if you have no money, or very little, services are still provided. This is called a sliding-scale or sliding-fee basis of payment. In a private organization, you would have to pay the full cost of the services, less the amount paid by your insurer or some other payment source.
Many workplaces make assistance programs available to their employees, often without charge. These programs are designed to provide confidential mental health services, including individual psychotherapy, family counseling, and assistance with problems of drug and alcohol abuse.
Q. Wouldn't it be better just to tough it out? I don't like to bother other people with my problems, and things could blow over if I just hang on.
A. That's like having a toothache and not going to the dentist. The results are the same - you keep on hurting and the problem will probably get worse.
Q. Suppose I decide to go ahead and visit a mental health center. What goes on in one of those places?
A. A specially trained staff member will talk with you about the things that are worrying you.
Q. Talk? I can talk to anyone for free - why pay a doctor?
A. You're quite right. If you have a wise and understanding friend who is willing to listen to your problems, you may not need professional help at all. But often that's not enough. You may need a professionally trained person to help you "dig out" what's really bothering you. Your friend probably does not have the skills to do this.
Q. How can just talking make problems disappear?
A. Well, when you're talking to someone who has professional training or has helped many others with problems similar to yours, that person is able to see the patterns in your life that have led to your unhappiness. In therapy, the job is to help you recognize those patterns - and you may try to change them. There may be times, however, when your problems are so severe or painful that you may need some medication to go along with the talking and listening.
Q. Are psychiatrists the only ones who can help?
A. No. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, and medical doctors are the only doctors who can prescribe medication. However, a therapist does not have to be a psychiatrist. A number of psychologists, social workers, nurses, group workers, mental health counselors, and others have been specially trained and licensed to work effectively with people's mental and emotional difficulties.
Q. Since I work all day, it would be hard to go to a center during regular working hours. Are centers open at nights or on weekends?
A. This can be arranged, too. Just contact the center for an appointment, which may be set up for a time that is convenient.
Q. I am also asking for others in my family. But I know that the idea of going in to a "mental health center" would seem threatening to my spouse. Could I just pretend that it's something else?
A. No, indeed. It's better to talk your spouse into it than to lie. Don't compromise trust by being deceptive.
Q. Actually, I think my spouse could be helped by coming in. What should I do about that?
A. This is something you can discuss with someone at the center. Marital of family therapy is available when a problem exists that involves more than one family member.
Q. Does therapy for mental and emotional problems always work?
A. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. It depends on you and the therapist. It is important to share your concerns in a serious, sincere, and open manner. Only if you are completely honest and open can you expect to receive the best support and advice. There are times when you may not "click" with a particular person, and someone else - or some other method - may be more suitable for you. You can ask your therapist for a referral to another mental health professional, or, if you prefer, you can call one of the associations listed in this booklet for the name of other therapists in your area.
Q. Does a mental health center provide services for children?
A. Yes, children's services are an important part of any center program. Children usually respond very well to short-term help if they are not suffering from any severe disorders. Families often are asked to participate and are consulted if long-term treatment is needed for a child.
Q. I have an elderly parent who has trouble remembering even close members of the family. He is physically still quite active and has wandered off a number of times. Could someone help with this?
A. A staff person at a center could advise you about ways you could best care for your parent. You may be referred to a special agency or organization that provides services designed especially to meet the needs of elderly people.
Q. Is a mental health center the only place to go for help?
A. No, there are alternatives. Many mental health programs operate independently. These include local clinics, family service agencies, private psychiatric hospitals, private clinics, and private practitioners. There are also many self-help organizations that sponsor gatherings for group discussions to deal with problems associated with bereavement, suicide, depression, schizophrenia, drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, sexual abuse, rape, and coping with the problems of aging parents - to name a few. There are private practitioners who specialize in treating one or more of these problems. You may contact local chapters of organizations listed in the back of this pamphlet to learn about various services available in your community.
Q. I have a friend who says she could use some professional help, but she is worried about keeping it confidential.
A. She needn't worry. Confidentiality is basic to therapy, and the patient has the right to control access to information about her treatment. Professional association guidelines plus Federal and State laws underscore the importance of confidentiality in therapist-client relationships and govern the release of records. Some insurance companies require certain information from the therapist as a condition for payment, but that information can be released only if the patient gives written permission. If your friend wants to know exactly who gets information and what kind of information is released, she should ask her insurance provider and discuss it in detail with the therapist.
its a big post , so i have made it into three parts and i would post all of them one by one .
thanks,
mesady:)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Service Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
A lot of the time I just sleep and the house doesn't get picked up. And dinner is late most nights. Sam yells at me for this but then he is sorry. What's wrong with me? I hope you can help me.
Letters like this are written every day by people who have problems - problems they find too great to bear alone. These people need help. Many choose to suffer in silence, rather than admit they need help. This often leads to more serious problems that are even harder to handle.
Usually people write to a Federal agency because they do not know where else to turn. Often, this agency refers them to their clergy or doctor, who may refer them to someone who specializes in solving personal problems. Sometimes troubled individuals may not attend a place of worship and may not have a family doctor. Or, if they visit a doctor, they may go in for what they consider to be strictly "physical" symptoms, and be reluctant to discuss what is really troubling them. But they need not keep their troubles bottled up within themselves. There are places available in their own communities where they can get help, and in the back of this pamphlet is a list of places that can be called if help is needed.
Asking for help is not an easy thing for many people to do, but is a wise move when a person feels that something is wrong.
ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS
Some people have many questions about what mental health services are, but they need not feel alone. Many who write to the Government ask the same questions. Some of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers, go something like this:
Q. When I do need help, where can I go?
A. There are over 3,000 mental health organizations throughout the country. For information about resources available in your community, contact your local mental health center or one of the local affiliates of national organizations listed in the back of this pamphlet. These agencies can provide you with information on services designed to meet the needs of those suffering from mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and phobias. In addition, they will have information regarding services designed for specific cultural groups, refugees, the elderly, children, and homosexuals.
Q. I don't have adequate personal finances, medical insurance, or hospitalization coverage - where would I get the money to pay for the service I may need?
A. In publicly funded mental health centers, such as those funded by State and municipal governments, the cost of any of the services generally is calculated by what you can afford to pay. So, if you have no money, or very little, services are still provided. This is called a sliding-scale or sliding-fee basis of payment. In a private organization, you would have to pay the full cost of the services, less the amount paid by your insurer or some other payment source.
Many workplaces make assistance programs available to their employees, often without charge. These programs are designed to provide confidential mental health services, including individual psychotherapy, family counseling, and assistance with problems of drug and alcohol abuse.
Q. Wouldn't it be better just to tough it out? I don't like to bother other people with my problems, and things could blow over if I just hang on.
A. That's like having a toothache and not going to the dentist. The results are the same - you keep on hurting and the problem will probably get worse.
Q. Suppose I decide to go ahead and visit a mental health center. What goes on in one of those places?
A. A specially trained staff member will talk with you about the things that are worrying you.
Q. Talk? I can talk to anyone for free - why pay a doctor?
A. You're quite right. If you have a wise and understanding friend who is willing to listen to your problems, you may not need professional help at all. But often that's not enough. You may need a professionally trained person to help you "dig out" what's really bothering you. Your friend probably does not have the skills to do this.
Q. How can just talking make problems disappear?
A. Well, when you're talking to someone who has professional training or has helped many others with problems similar to yours, that person is able to see the patterns in your life that have led to your unhappiness. In therapy, the job is to help you recognize those patterns - and you may try to change them. There may be times, however, when your problems are so severe or painful that you may need some medication to go along with the talking and listening.
Q. Are psychiatrists the only ones who can help?
A. No. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, and medical doctors are the only doctors who can prescribe medication. However, a therapist does not have to be a psychiatrist. A number of psychologists, social workers, nurses, group workers, mental health counselors, and others have been specially trained and licensed to work effectively with people's mental and emotional difficulties.
Q. Since I work all day, it would be hard to go to a center during regular working hours. Are centers open at nights or on weekends?
A. This can be arranged, too. Just contact the center for an appointment, which may be set up for a time that is convenient.
Q. I am also asking for others in my family. But I know that the idea of going in to a "mental health center" would seem threatening to my spouse. Could I just pretend that it's something else?
A. No, indeed. It's better to talk your spouse into it than to lie. Don't compromise trust by being deceptive.
Q. Actually, I think my spouse could be helped by coming in. What should I do about that?
A. This is something you can discuss with someone at the center. Marital of family therapy is available when a problem exists that involves more than one family member.
Q. Does therapy for mental and emotional problems always work?
A. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. It depends on you and the therapist. It is important to share your concerns in a serious, sincere, and open manner. Only if you are completely honest and open can you expect to receive the best support and advice. There are times when you may not "click" with a particular person, and someone else - or some other method - may be more suitable for you. You can ask your therapist for a referral to another mental health professional, or, if you prefer, you can call one of the associations listed in this booklet for the name of other therapists in your area.
Q. Does a mental health center provide services for children?
A. Yes, children's services are an important part of any center program. Children usually respond very well to short-term help if they are not suffering from any severe disorders. Families often are asked to participate and are consulted if long-term treatment is needed for a child.
Q. I have an elderly parent who has trouble remembering even close members of the family. He is physically still quite active and has wandered off a number of times. Could someone help with this?
A. A staff person at a center could advise you about ways you could best care for your parent. You may be referred to a special agency or organization that provides services designed especially to meet the needs of elderly people.
Q. Is a mental health center the only place to go for help?
A. No, there are alternatives. Many mental health programs operate independently. These include local clinics, family service agencies, private psychiatric hospitals, private clinics, and private practitioners. There are also many self-help organizations that sponsor gatherings for group discussions to deal with problems associated with bereavement, suicide, depression, schizophrenia, drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, sexual abuse, rape, and coping with the problems of aging parents - to name a few. There are private practitioners who specialize in treating one or more of these problems. You may contact local chapters of organizations listed in the back of this pamphlet to learn about various services available in your community.
Q. I have a friend who says she could use some professional help, but she is worried about keeping it confidential.
A. She needn't worry. Confidentiality is basic to therapy, and the patient has the right to control access to information about her treatment. Professional association guidelines plus Federal and State laws underscore the importance of confidentiality in therapist-client relationships and govern the release of records. Some insurance companies require certain information from the therapist as a condition for payment, but that information can be released only if the patient gives written permission. If your friend wants to know exactly who gets information and what kind of information is released, she should ask her insurance provider and discuss it in detail with the therapist.
its a big post , so i have made it into three parts and i would post all of them one by one .
thanks,
mesady:)