Mental Health

By Arzu Khwaja

To what extent should the federal,state, and local governments go to in order to prevent discrimination of the mentally ill in society?  

Dorothea Dix 

• 19th century activist, who spent 20 yrs working for improved treatment of the mentally ill in prisons

•  urged the state legislatures and United States Congress to create the first generation of American mental asylums

In the early 20th century, the treatment and conditions of the mentally ill in asylums were harsh, brutal and inhumane. They were isolated in institutions and discourage to enter society. They also had no opportunity to lead normal lives. The institutions were state facilities.

Deinstitutionalisation

• In the 1960s, overcrowding, poor living conditions, and abuse of the mentally-ill led to the deinstitutionalisation movement

• There were a series of class-action lawsuits on right to treatment in state programs 

• replaced long-stay mental institutions with less isolated community mental health clinics

• 1963, Federal Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act under President JFK, provided federal funding for community mental health centers

Statistics• mental disorders are involved in 90% of the

30,000 suicides each year•  80% of the youth entering the juvenile justice

system have a mental disorder

Federal State Comprehensive Mental Health Plan Act,1986

• In order for States to be eligible for federal funds, the States were urged to devise service plans that stressed the needs of the mentally ill

Mental Health Parity Act of 1996

• Requires that health insurance policies provide coverage for mental illness at the same degree that they cover medical/surgical illness

New Freedom Commission on Mental Health• Under the Presidency of G.W. Bush• study of the mental health service delivery system• pledged to "tear down" barrier to equality• goal was to improve and maximize the utility resources • promote full access to community life

Resources include• supportive housing • psychosocial rehabilitation• supportive employment• expanding educational

opportunities

      Democrats vs. Republicans

• Republicans believe that in a free market, the Federal Government does not make the decision of how to cover health benefits

• Republicans dont like reforms in mental health care• Federal government should not regulate mental illness• Congress should cut health care costs• Democrats believe the Federal goverment should

play a bigger role in transforming the mental health system

•  Encourage government to spend more on programs and health care

• The Federal government should regulate mental health the most because they have they funding

• support the Parity Act

New York State Mental Hygiene Facilities Improvement Corporation,1963

• state was responsible for disbursing all local,state, and federal funds targeted for facility construction

 

1980, New York State Insanity Defense Reform Act

• gave the Office of Mental Health the obligation for caring for and evaluating criminals that are claimed not responsible due to the conviction of insanity

• By the mid 1980s New York State had served 500,000 patients and had 33 mental facilities

In 2006, Governor Pataki passed the Children's Mental Health Act

• the law "directs the establishment of a children`s mental health plan by the Commisioner of Education in cooperation with the Commisioner of Mental Health and the voluntary implementation by school districts of such plan statewide"

 • incorporate social and emotional development into

elementary and secondary educational standards

Children`s Plan of NYSEstablished to Strengthen the social and emotional well being of children by engaging the children in services early.  

Suffolk County

• Mental Health Association is a non-profit organization that is devoted to improving the health of all people in the community by means of support services, education and advocacy and other agencies.

Survey ResultsInsurance companies should cover mental and medical illnesses equally.• 88% agree 12% disagree

 Public schools should spend more on programs for the mentally disabled kids.• 84.6% agree 15.4% disagree

 Mentally disabled people should be integrated into society as opposed to contained into institutions.• 84.6% agree 15.4% disagree

 Kids in school should be screened for mental illness.• 57.7% agree 42.3% disagree

 People who are mentally disabled should be acquitted from their crime.• 26.9% agree 73.1% disagree