Eileen Parent
The phone rang tonight, a familiar voice on the other end. But this voice, though familiar, carries the weight of many – the voice of another friend caught in the cycle of crisis and temporary relief. He’s on North 7 again, finding solace in the Valium, the therapy, and the comforting conversations with the hospital pastor. It’s a place that offers a lifeline, but it’s a costly one, both financially and emotionally. A stay at North 7 for emergency mental health care can run upwards of $20,000 for a 4-5 day period.
It’s unsettling to think that for the amount of a typical copay for a few days in acute care, some individuals could potentially access a medically supervised mental health wellness program. Why isn’t that being offered to our community? Where are these places? Where are the alternatives? Or maybe there’s a middle ground, a preventative approach that combines elements of retreat with ongoing community support. This could involve regular therapy, group workshops, and access to resources that address the root causes of mental health struggles.
Studies suggest that 30% of individuals admitted for acute psychiatric care could potentially be stabilized with less intensive interventions. I wonder what that $$ would look like if we simply looked at the number of individuals in our very own surrounding communities that were admitted for acute psychiatric care in the past year… I personally know of 14, and I am positive that they are only a small piece of this puzzle here. I know the numbers are much more complicated than I am suggesting… but they are not so complicated to start looking at with a different lens. Have we, as a collective community just become so lost for answers we stopped looking for them?
My friends phone call last night prompted this blog. I’m truly tired of hearing the words “frequent flyer at North 7”, I’m tired of watching community members be dropped back home after a “4 day mental health stabilization stay” by an uber with a white bag of meds, a sheet of paper with no real direction, no real follow up, AND still looking and feeling like they got hit by a bus. Why am I hearing about this incredible “Pastor” that is helping these individuals with her words of faith more than anything else coming out of their clinical visits? Where are all these organizations and non profits that I support to help my friends and family? What are really offering? Maybe our community is seeking something different to get better? I have lots of questions, and I have dedicated my life to finding out those answers. I believe they are out there. I have over 40 years of community service in this so called process, its truly broken. It’s time for change. While I’ve been told by many this past year, almost daily to be honest, that change is not possible. I believe it is. So I will keep writing about it for now, even if that is all I can do. It’s something.
I don’t have the solutions. But I do know we need to explore alternative options, seeking solutions that are both effective and accessible. The current model, while extremely effective and necessary in emergency situations, is simply not sustainable for everyone… 30% of everyone. It’s time to think outside the box, to challenge the status quo, and to create a system that makes sense for the individual and doesn’t waste money. It’s time to break the cycle. Somebody has to try something. What if that somebody was you?
