Human services leaders say Minnesota is in the midst of a mental health crisis that is making it difficult to manage behavioral health facilities.
Plans to close specific facilities have been averted, but officials want to see comprehensive improvements to the care system.
The Department of Human Resources and Social Services recently announced plans to close two addiction treatment centers and repurpose one to serve patients with serious mental health needs.
With the new funding, one building will remain open, while the other will be renovated to accommodate patients admitted under court orders.
Lynn Butcher, who works for one of the Department of Homeland Security programs as a quality manager for St. Peter’s Forensic Mental Health Services, said she feels there are solutions that aren’t being focused on.
“What’s happening right now is people aren’t getting early intervention,” Butcher said. “They don’t get the help they need and they end up in prison.”
She said patient needs are putting added pressure on the entire health system, sparking debate within facilities and concerns about staff safety and quality of care.
Butcher said strengthening early intervention programs such as school counseling could help.
DHS officials say they understand the concerns but must address urgent needs with limited options.
Butcher, who is also a member of the Minnesota Professional Employees Association, said he worries turnover will worsen if some employees are transferred out of their current roles.
“People take this job because it’s what they want to do,” Butcher said, “and it’s one thing to provide substance use treatment to people who need it; it’s another to work with mentally ill and dangerous people.”
The department said the current approach is a short-term solution to a long-term problem, and noted that Congress has asked officials to consider ways to beef up addiction treatment in the future.
The report is expected to be submitted by mid-January next year.
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A new CVS Health Morning Consult survey found that 70% of parents nationwide say they are more worried about their child’s mental health than their physical health.
Nearly half of families say social media is impacting their children’s development on issues ranging from body image to self-perception.
Dr. Deborah Fernandez Turner, executive vice president and deputy chief psychiatric officer at CVS Health, said young people are facing numerous challenges that are leading to increases in depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
She said resources are available to help both adults and children, including online depression screenings.
“If someone is struggling and needs support, one of the best ways to do that is to work with their doctor,” Fernandez-Turner says, “or make sure to work with your employee assistance program, that’s a really great way to get support.”
Social media is a driving force behind the mental health crisis in this country.
Surveys have shown that more than a third of adults have started turning off notifications for social media apps in an attempt to spend less time on the platform.
At the same time, one in three adults say that using the internet has increased their understanding of mental health issues.
Joe Bargione, a licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist and executive committee member of the Kentucky Bounce Coalition, which provides statewide training on trauma, adverse childhood experiences and mental health, said his organization recently partnered with the CVS Health Foundation through a grant to expand its reach.
He said he thinks it’s important that schools and community organizations have the services kids need, such as therapy and counseling.
“Data shows that approximately 20 percent of children in Kentucky have a diagnosable mental illness.”
The survey also found that 65% of adults are worried about their own mental health, or the mental health of their friends or family, up more than 20% from 2020.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, more than half of Americans say they would be very or very comfortable talking about their mental health with a close friend, close family member or a mental health therapist.
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Across Tennessee and across the country, Black female principals are addressing the challenges facing students from marginalized communities, particularly their social and mental health issues.
More than four in 10 students report feeling “constantly depressed or hopeless,” according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Adrienne Battle, superintendent and chancellor of Metro Nashville Public Schools, will participate in a virtual event on the topic today, “Exceptional Leadership from Chancellors of Color,” to discuss how they are meeting students’ social, emotional and academic needs through initiatives such as “navigator” programs that connect students to resources and wraparound services.
“We assign every student in our district a navigator, or a caring adult who checks in with them frequently,” Battle explained, “to make sure students have an advocate and someone they can go to when they need it.”
Battle added that the district is also investing heavily in mental health and social-emotional learning supports by increasing the number of psychologists, social workers and other professionals in schools.
Noting that she grew up in the Metro Nashville school system, Battle said she decided to become an educator because of the inspiring women who nurtured her as a student, and noted there are few women of color in superintendent positions.
“As teachers, we know that over 70 percent of teachers are women,” Battle emphasized, “and we also know that the percentage of Black women teachers is even lower. We also know that national data shows that fewer than 30 percent of superintendents are women and even fewer are Black superintendents.”
During the virtual event, Battle will also share information about the advocacy centers set up in elementary schools and peace centers set up in middle and high schools that focus on de-escalation techniques and restorative practices to maintain positive school climates.
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The Colorado Legislature is investing more than $15 million to ensure children with complex behavioral issues, including trauma, severe depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, get the center-based care they need.
Colorado faces numerous lawsuits for failing to provide adequate assistance.
Democratic Rep. Mary Young of Greeley said meeting the need was a top priority during the recent session.
“When we heard that children and youth and their families were not finding suitable accommodations, we realized this did not reflect Colorado’s values,” Young explained. “We do not want children to be neglected.”
Colorado’s psychiatric facilities often lack beds for children in crisis, forcing families to travel out of state for care. Many children end up sleeping on floors in emergency rooms, county offices or jails. House Bill 1038 promises to more than double the number of beds available for Colorado’s children with the most severe mental health needs.
Rep. Brandi Bradley (R-Roxboro) said the new law would also provide services to prevent mental health issues from turning into crises. A recent report found that more than one-third of Colorado high school students with severe depression did not receive treatment last year.
“But we believe that with this $15 million, we will be able to not only have the staffing to address those needs, but also provide the actual treatment that these kids need,” Bradley emphasized. “Right now, they’re put in detention centers, they don’t get the proper treatment, and then they end up being diverted into the justice system.”
Young added that the measures also include providing better compensation to nursing homes, workforce development incentives for training and better wages for workers.
“Wages need to be increased to attract the workforce that is so important to delivering these services,” Young said.
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