Posted Oct 1, 2020, 4:11 pm
Arizona ranks close to last in the nation when it comes to
available mental health care providers – a problem that’s been
underscored during a pandemic that is increasing anxiety and depression.
Heather Ross, a clinical assistant professor at Arizona State
University who advises Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego on health policy
issues, said the state also lacks sufficient beds and inpatient
facilities to treat patients with mental health challenges.
Still, she added: “You can build a building, you can stick a bed in a
room, but unless you have the professionals to deliver the care, those
beds almost don’t matter.”
Arizona ranks 47th among all 50 states and the District of Columbia
in the rate of available mental health care providers, according to the
latest report
by the nonprofit group Mental Health America. The state’s ratio of 790
people for every 1 provider compares with Massachusetts’ leading rate of
180 to 1.
Providers include psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical
social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and advanced
practice nurses specializing in mental health care.
All 15 counties in Arizona include places considered Health
Professional Shortage Areas specifically for mental health, according to
data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Navajo Nation is ranked as one of the highest areas of need. A 2017 study
by Northern Arizona University’s Center for Health Equity Research
found that the ratio of people to mental health providers in Navajo
County, which includes a section of the Navajo reservation, was a
whopping 1,504:1.
These provider shortages are especially concerning given the job
losses, isolation and grief people are experiencing during the COVID-19
pandemic, Ross said. The Navajo Nation has been hit hard by the deadly
disease, with more than 10,000 cases and 550 deaths, while statewide cases have surpassed 200,000, with more than 5,600 deaths.
Ross said it’s vital the dearth of behavioral health providers is
addressed, because a mental health problem can affect every aspect of
one’s life.
“It’s not like when you sprain your elbow and you can wear a sling,”
she said. “You can’t put a Band-Aid on it and put it aside. It’s always
with you.
“In a perfect world, every person who was experiencing mental
illness, behavioral disorders or crisis would reach out … and would have
a mental health professional immediately available.”
A June survey
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented how
COVID-19 has increased mental health problems, particularly in younger
adults, people of color, essential workers and unpaid adult caregivers.
These groups have reported experiencing worse mental health, increased
substance use and elevated suicidal ideation.
One organization trying to help is Flagstaff’s Stronger as One,
a collaborative effort among several Coconino County organizations to
create a culture of knowledge, compassion and action around mental
health and well-being.
The group offers mental health first-aid training to identify,
understand and respond to mental health crises or substance abuse
issues.
Although not a replacement for the help of a licensed professional,
those trained can serve as a first stopping point for people who need
care, especially in areas where providers are limited.
“We’re working to normalize talking about it and make people aware of
the regional resources that are there,” said Erica Shaw, Stronger as
One program manager.
In partnership with the Arizona Department of Education, about 65
people in northern Arizona have been trained to date, Shaw said.
A bill
to provide financial aid to students who commit to enter the mental
health care workforce was introduced during the 2020 Arizona legislative
session but didn’t make it out of committee.
The bill would have expanded the Arizona Teachers Academy program
to provide scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 a year for
students who agree to become social workers or counselors in Arizona
public schools.
The measure’s sponsor, Sen. Sean Bowie, D-Phoenix, told Cronkite News
he plans to reintroduce the proposal when the new legislative session
begins in January.
Mental health conditions have worsened since the pandemic was
declared in March, but even before then, reports of anxiety and
depression had been on a “scary but steady increase,” said Mark Carroll,
chief medical officer of Health Choice Arizona in Flagstaff.
Now, with some of the financial impacts of COVID-19, people may be putting their mental health on the back burner.
“If I don’t have stable housing or I don’t have money for reliable
and consistent food on my table,” Carroll said, “other things are just
not going to be a priority for me and it’s going to impact my health in
general. And it’s going to have a significant impact on my mental health
and well-being.”
Health Choice Arizona provides health coverage to over 200,000 people
across Apache, Coconino, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Gila, Yavapai and
Pinal counties.
The 2017 NAU study noted that access alone isn’t the only barrier to
getting mental health treatment. Stigma and cultural differences also
play a role. Some respondents living in smaller communities said they
feared the risk of being recognized when seeking care.
Historical trauma among Native Americans also can lead to a deep sense of hopelessness, the study found.
“Each different culture has a different way of approaching wellness
and well-being and overall mental health. You can’t overlook that,” Shaw
said. “You have to respect their cultural history … and meet them where
they are.”
Shaw hopes to see the momentum of change and sharing of resources continue, especially as the pandemic goes on.
“We have this tendency to say, ‘Suck it up, brush it off, it’s no big
deal, just snap out of it.’ But you don’t tell someone with cancer to
snap out of it. So there’s this fundamental misunderstanding of the
nature of mental health,” Shaw said.
“Ultimately, our mission is to build a culture of knowledge,
compassion and action for mental health and well-being, so that we can
all live better, healthier lives – together.”
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