HEALTH
BARRIERS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE
Directors of local mental health organizations discuss the obstacles to affordable and accessible mental health care in Athens. BY JESSICA RUTKOWSKI | ILLUSTRATION BY LAINEY DOUGLAS
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ne in five adults experience mental illness in the United States, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and no part of the country is excluded. Many residents throughout the U.S. have been or will be affected by mental illness. Thanks to outspoken voices and national campaigns regarding mental healthcare, awareness about and advocacy for the issue have rapidly increased in recent years. But despite the growing societal awareness of the importance of mental health in the U.S., 74% of Americans do not believe such services are accessible for everyone according to the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH) 2018 study. And they’re right. Although mental health issues affect all areas of the country, rural, impoverished areas like Athens County often have a disproportionately harder time receiving mental healthcare. The Athens-Hocking-Vinton Mental Health & Recovery Board is among several mental health resources available to Athens County residents and is affiliated with more than 20 organizations in the area, providing services such as subsidized housing, resources to escape domestic violence and peer support. Despite those organizations in Athens and its surrounding community, there are still many barriers to getting people the help they need. “Our focus is on either a mental health issue or an addiction issue,” says Earl Cecil, executive director of the Athens-Hocking-Vinton Mental Health & Recovery Board. “[But], that’s not to say people don’t have ... a whole litany of issues that need addressed.” Tina Trimmer, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Athens County, agrees about the inevitable struggles of people with mental health issues. She says it can be challenging to go to work or find a job in the first place. “It’s the upkeep things in life that go to the wayside,” Trimmer says. Those struggles can create a snowball effect in each
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person's life, eventually leading to the harsh reality of the high cost and insufficient insurance coverage for treatment. According to the NCBH, one in four Americans reported having to choose between paying for mental health treatment and purchasing daily necessities, such as food, hygiene products and gas. “I hate to say that money is the answer, but money is the answer,” Trimmer says, “We just need more money.” Trimmer, who recently moved back to Athens County for her job after living in Athens sporadically for the past 20 years, opened up about her own struggles in attempting to receive treatment for her mental health, including the cost of treatment and lack of coverage. “I was fortunate to go to college ... and [the system] to access benefits like Medicaid is nearly impossible to navigate for me, let alone someone who can’t read, or can’t get to the office to ask questions or doesn’t have a phone,” Trimmer says. “It’s a whirlwind nightmare.” Not only are the costs high and the systems hard to navigate, but there is an insufficient number of mental healthcare professionals in regions like Athens, so even those who can afford treatment might have a hard time being connected with services. Trimmer experienced those problems firsthand when living in Athens in the early 2010s. “There wasn’t a single psychiatrist in this town. Not one,” Trimmer says. “I had to personally drive to Columbus to see a psychiatrist ... it’s not practical.” Trimmer is not alone. Approximately 46% of Americans had or know someone who has had to drive more than an hour total when seeking treatment, according to NCBH. “Not everybody wants to live in Southeastern Ohio in a small town, especially someone who’s gone through medical school and is hoping to probably pay back those loans that they’ve incurred,” Trimmer says. According to the Rural Health Information Hub’s website, those shortages are happening in rural communities nationwide, which means limited options and longer wait times, causing 96 million Americans to experience waiting longer than one week for treatments.
