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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2021 19:31:28 GMT
"Citing mounting evidence of ongoing harm, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy on Tuesday issued a public health advisory on the mental health challenges confronting youth, a rare warning and call to action to address what he called an emerging crisis exacerbated by pandemic hardships. Symptoms of depression and anxiety have doubled during the pandemic, with 25% of youth experiencing depressive symptoms and 20% experiencing anxiety symptoms, according to Murthy’s 53-page advisory. There also appear to be increases in negative emotions or behaviors such as impulsivity and irritability — associated with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. And, in early 2021, emergency department visits in the United States for suspected suicide attempts were 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same time period in early 2019, according to research cited in the advisory. “It would be a tragedy if we beat back one public health crisis only to allow another to grow in its place,” Murthy wrote in a preface to the advisory. “Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real, and they are widespread. But most importantly, they are treatable, and often preventable.” Even before the pandemic, children from all backgrounds faced serious mental health challenges, Murthy said. But nearly two years of disruption took a toll and worsened their mental health — especially for such groups as immigrants, students with disabilities and students of color from low-income families."
In my own circle, two friends' girls are strugging (one senior, one junior). Another friend who is a pediatrician has been talking about this for at least the last 6 mos. She gets 15 mins w/these kids and there is little she can do but recommend they see a counselor - some do, many don't. But we can't see to find a way to distribute money more equitably and spend it more sensibly so that more youth and adults can get the services they are desperate and dying for.
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Post by ~summer~ on Dec 7, 2021 19:34:22 GMT
Yes we are experiencing this here - online schooling for over a year was a disaster.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2021 19:34:30 GMT
"“One good thing is that people are asking for help and trying to offer it to one another, even informally and without professional expertise,” Franklin said. “But we are also recognizing the deep need for professional expertise.”
The national average of caseloads for school counselors remains high, with 424 students per counselor for the 2019-20 school year. Professional guidelines recommend a ratio of 250 students per counselor.
Historically, the problem has been the lack of money to hire counselors. For now, the money is there, but the professionals are not. The advisory recommends that government — at the local, tribal, state and federal level — invest in a pipeline for counselors, nurses, social workers and school psychologists."
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Post by busy on Dec 7, 2021 19:46:22 GMT
Yes we are experiencing this here - online schooling for over a year was a disaster. Yes. DS struggled with anxiety pre-pandemic and it got much worse during the pandemic plus new depression. Fortunately, he had an existing relationship with a therapist, so he was able to continue treatment (though we found remote therapy wasn't as effective for him). Getting back to in-person school full-time this year has really turned things around. He recently told me he "feels like himself" again, which is SUCH a relief. It was a very very difficult year. |
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Post by peasapie on Dec 7, 2021 19:52:26 GMT
And, in early 2021, emergency department visits in the United States for suspected suicide attempts were 51% higher for adolescent girls and 4% higher for adolescent boys compared to the same time period in early 2019, Wow. This is so sad to read. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Dec 7, 2021 20:05:54 GMT
Yes we are experiencing this here - online schooling for over a year was a disaster. Yes. DS struggled with anxiety pre-pandemic and it got much worse during the pandemic plus new depression. Fortunately, he had an existing relationship with a therapist, so he was able to continue treatment (though we found remote therapy wasn't as effective for him). Getting back to in-person school full-time this year has really turned things around. He recently told me he "feels like himself" again, which is SUCH a relief. It was a very very difficult year. I’m so glad your DS is doing better - I know that must be such a relief. |
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Post by agengr2004 on Dec 7, 2021 20:21:34 GMT
My daughter started therapy in the Summer of 2020 at the age of 11. She was suffering from anxiety, depression and was trying to cut. I say trying because she never did more than scratch herself really but the intent was there. Her and my husband were isolated at home but I was still working at the University full time (and overtime) on the COVID response team and my son was still in daycare. I think the fact that we weren't there made it worse for her and I carry a lot of guilt about that. Since she's been seeing a therapist she's joined a competitive gymnastics team, she's reconnected with friends and made a lot of new ones. I can see her again, not the kid who wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't shower, change clothes etc.
Her Junior high is a nightmare right now. They have multiple fights everyday, students have been arrested (and have charges pending), a teacher has been hit with a chair, etc. Everyday has been something else.
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Post by tallgirl on Dec 7, 2021 22:15:48 GMT
I am dealing with this firsthand with my family. Never thought we’d be here, and yet we are.
The first two professionals we’ve seen have not worked out for us and we’re on a 3 month waitlist for a third. They are completely backed up because of the numbers of people desperate for help.
We are fully vaccinated and we are starting to make choices that are more risky from a covid exposure perspective, but that will bring us moments of joy to help stave off some of the despair we are dealing with in between. We have been very risk averse up until now and I can’t help but think it’s exacerbated the situation.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 7, 2021 23:09:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2021 23:36:47 GMT
Hopefully articles like this will help people realize that mental health really does need to be a bigger priority in this country. We are so close to making this country better, but the greedy, the "conservatives", the older voters (not all!) are keeping us mired in hell. We have the potential to make this world so much better through our improved knowledge, our technology, etc. But we won't get there before the political situation regresses and I don't think we'll make it back out again. I just don't. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Dec 7, 2021 23:37:01 GMT
I really love my job as an accountant but sometimes I think I missed my calling as a therapist. Haha... Psychology fascinates me. I don't doubt that the pandemic raised all sorts of issues for kids. I think it did for everyone. Judging by the numbers of people who have shown up at my local NAMI meeting who do not have a diagnosis of mental illness, the pandemic was hard all around. And like iamkristinl16 said, I really worry about children with this increase in attacks on non-academic learning. I am most concerned about minority groups whether that be race related, gener related,or sexual orientation related. I know those kids are already suffering and I hate to see more suffering amongst those groups. |
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Post by elaine on Dec 7, 2021 23:52:23 GMT
My daughter started therapy in the Summer of 2020 at the age of 11. She was suffering from anxiety, depression and was trying to cut. I say trying because she never did more than scratch herself really but the intent was there. Her and my husband were isolated at home but I was still working at the University full time (and overtime) on the COVID response team and my son was still in daycare. I think the fact that we weren't there made it worse for her and I carry a lot of guilt about that. Since she's been seeing a therapist she's joined a competitive gymnastics team, she's reconnected with friends and made a lot of new ones. I can see her again, not the kid who wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't shower, change clothes etc. Her Junior high is a nightmare right now. They have multiple fights everyday, students have been arrested (and have charges pending), a teacher has been hit with a chair, etc. Everyday has been something else.I can back this up. I have been subbing 4-5 days per week since the beginning of the school year. I spend 45% of my time in Middle School (MS) (another 45% in upper elementary and 10% in HS). It has clarified for me that when I get my K-12 licensure, that I won’t look for a permanent position in a MS. The behavior issues are jaw dropping. And because the administration is bending over backwards to get kids to come to and stay in school, they let a variety of things go which would have been cause for suspension before COVID. During the past two days - both in MS - I have had to call the front office *at least* once per class period to send an admin person (they have 4 roving admin men with walkie-talkies who come when called by teachers to help with behavior issues) to either back me up or make them aware that a student or students have just walked out of class. The behavior can be so loud and so disruptive that the kids who want to learn are not able to because the behavior issues are *so bad* that they dominate the classroom. And I’m a psychologist, so I don’t get bent out of shape by minor issues. I honestly don’t know what the solution is. I never would have guessed that 12 & 13 year olds could be so disruptive and seem to actually enjoy the sense of power that comes from controlling and dominating a whole class period. Their peers resent the heck out of it, and I don’t blame them. If I were the parent of a child who actually wanted to learn and I had an inkling of what was going on in classrooms, I would be in the principal’s office in a heartbeat. And it isn’t because I’m a sub. I initially was certain that was the reason. But I’ve now worked a number of times as an IA or a team teacher a number of days (I’m only taking jobs at my kids’ old MS), and watched the kids behave exactly the same way with the “regular” teachers. Again, I’m at a loss. Very few of the kids in my MS classes seem to getting a lot out of it - the honors classes seem the most satisfied, which is not surprising. |
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Post by busy on Dec 7, 2021 23:59:46 GMT
I think you are probably right. We are extremely lucky both that we can afford care and that DS had an existing relationship with a therapist. Almost no mental health providers around here are taking new patients, especially for pediatric specialists. I explored finding someone new because virtual visits weren’t so great and the waitlists - if they were even taking names for a waitlist - were all six months or longer. My heart breaks for the kids who need help and don’t have access to it. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2021 0:33:13 GMT
I honestly don’t know what the solution is. I never would have guessed that 12 & 13 year olds could be so disruptive and seem to actually enjoy the sense of power that comes from controlling and dominating a whole class period. Their peers resent the heck out of it, and I don’t blame them. That's the heart of it, imo. These kids have little/no emotional intelligence. They have little/no coping skills. The world is hard and stressful. Who knows what their homes lives are. They get their highs from being noticed and being in control. |
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Post by elaine on Dec 8, 2021 1:22:01 GMT
I honestly don’t know what the solution is. I never would have guessed that 12 & 13 year olds could be so disruptive and seem to actually enjoy the sense of power that comes from controlling and dominating a whole class period. Their peers resent the heck out of it, and I don’t blame them. That's the heart of it, imo. These kids have little/no emotional intelligence. They have little/no coping skills. The world is hard and stressful. Who knows what their homes lives are. They get their highs from being noticed and being in control. I understand that. And, the flip side is that they are making school a hard, and sometimes traumatic, daily experience for their peers. Whose well-being trumps whose? And how do make it at least non-damaging for all? It isn’t like the rest of the class can get up and leave when one student decides to start threatening another student and sometimes carrying it out. They are forced to sit there, witness it all - day after day, and also watch their teachers not be able to deliver the day’s lesson. Nor are they able to take in much of it because of the upheaval. Are they less important? Is their mental health - expressed more in the form of depression- less noteworthy because they aren’t violent against others? And I live in a wealthy suburban school district with oodles more money and resources than probably 90% of the nation. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2021 1:37:50 GMT
And I live in a wealthy suburban school district with oodles more money and resources than probably 90% of the nation. sometimes i think those kids are least well-equipped emotionally. I understand that. And, the flip side is that they are making school a hard, and sometimes traumatic, daily experience for their peers. absolutely. that's why i rail and rail and rail on SOCIETAL spending on emotional intelligence - from the time they're babies - cuz a LOT of them aren't getting it at home. |
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Post by elaine on Dec 8, 2021 1:59:11 GMT
And I live in a wealthy suburban school district with oodles more money and resources than probably 90% of the nation. sometimes i think those kids are least well-equipped emotionally. I understand that. And, the flip side is that they are making school a hard, and sometimes traumatic, daily experience for their peers. absolutely. that's why i rail and rail and rail on SOCIETAL spending on emotional intelligence - from the time they're babies - cuz a LOT of them aren't getting it at home. But this isn’t about only emotional intelligence, it is about the fact that school is becoming a stressful and/or traumatic experience for many kids. Who, even the most emotionally intelligent of them, would be negatively impacted by the daily experience school has become. The kids who, by and large, are attempting suicide aren’t the kids who are aggressively acting out, but the depressed kids who withdraw and turn inwards. If one is concerned about them, one needs to look at this silent, less in-your-face-demanding-of-attention segment of our teens. I have high emotional intelligence and there is only so much of this I can take. I have the choice to not take an assignment in middle school and just not work there for a few days. The students are trapped, without that choice, and that is a recipe for learned helplessness, depression, and anxiety - and emotional intelligence is a mediating factor, but certainly not a solution. eta: I mentioned the $ in our school district, because we have the $ to spend (and do) on resources to help our students. Counselors, social workers, psychologists, roving admin who are “friendly” enforcers; break rooms - multiple - where students in crisis can go to “take a break,” get a snack and decompress. The schools I am in are made up of 80%+ POC students - the demographics aren’t stereotypical. |
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Post by happyOCgirl on Dec 8, 2021 2:17:22 GMT
I can’t tell you how much I needed this thread today. I’m in middle school and the majority of behavior issues are attention seeking. It has only escalated since we’ve been back. There’s the typical behaviors but there’s now the phone/media that is constantly needing their attentions (which the usage increased while they were having online school). There is a crisis happening with minors world wide and it needs to be every adults priority. There’s also a lot of kids who seem to have it together. I’m actually very worried about the reserved students.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2021 2:32:33 GMT
I have high emotional intelligence and there is only so much of this I can take. Absolutely. We ALL can only take so much. My railing on money to increase emotional intelligence education is for the DISRUPTORS, even more than those who are so adversely affected by the disruption. The DISRUPTORS are the problem and the ones who need MUCH MORE mitigation, earlier. They can destroy the peace and sanity of all around them (ala Michigan killer). We will either find ways to reach these kids MORE and SOONER or we will keep reaping what we've reaped so far - chaos, crisis, stress, anxiety and depression for those of us who have to deal with the FALLOUT of their lack of education. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Dec 8, 2021 11:32:21 GMT
We also have to keep in mind that middle school years are typically when mental illness shows up too. I can trace mine back to about age 12 and I can see where my own kids slid off the slope around that age too. Kids don't have the emotional maturity to say they need help and many people around them might not even realize they are suffering.
And yes, it's easy to focus on kids who are acting out. But it's important to have general programs for all kids that teach coping skills. I was a gifted student, I was well liked by my peers. I was strong and confident. A bit rebellious. But I don't think any of my teachers would have known that I had a problem back then.
Now when I talk about my childhood and my mental illness so many people that knew me throughout middle school and high school are shocked. A lot of people are shocked by this knowing me as an adult too. But I was so mentally disturbed if I had had some kind of education on it, maybe I would have been better able to advocate for myself.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Dec 8, 2021 11:42:19 GMT
@zingermack said: that's why i rail and rail and rail on SOCIETAL spending on emotional intelligence - from the time they're babies - cuz a LOT of them aren't getting it at home.
I think this is important. I don't think we've invested in this ever and many of us grew up in households that were just as deficient when it comes to mental health. The cycle is just being perpetuated. As generations go on, we are more likely to accept that kids express their feelings, however we are much less strict in our parenting. In other words, kids feel freer to act out because they aren't afraid of the wrath of their parents anymore.
In the grand scheme of things, I see where the pandemic added to people's existing problems and shined a light on weaknesses people already had but weren't addressing. But I don't believe we have higher levels of mental illness in this generation. I just feel that we are perpetuating cycles of mental illness and younger generations can be more open. So we think we are seeing it more frequently.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2021 15:35:36 GMT
Youth mental health crisis: What parents should watch for "It’s important for parents, she said, to learn what warning signs to look for in their kids and how to reach out for additional support. Here are some suggestions offered by mental health experts. David W. Bond, director of behavioral health for Blue Shield of California, cautioned parents against trying to diagnose their child by themselves or with the assistance of the internet. Nevertheless, some behavioral shifts can raise red flags that should prompt a parent to seek help. Experts interviewed by The Times, including school social workers and counselors, listed a number of behavioral and emotional changes that, if sustained, could be a sign of a more serious problem: An increase in truancy, tardiness or resistance to going to school. A sharp change in focus or difficulty concentrating, a lack of motivation, or falling grades. Feeling anxious, sad or low all the time, or frequent mood swings. Withdrawing from friends. Indications of self-harm. Frequent nightmares and sleep disturbances, whether it be sleeping too much or not sleeping enough. Changes in eating habits. Sharp changes in social media habits. Peer conflict. Physical symptoms, including frequent headaches, stomach aches or body aches.... It can be hard to discern between the normal and abnormal in a developing young person. But if a teen has intense feelings that last more than two weeks or has the intense feelings for most of a two-week period, that’s a sign of something more serious afoot. " www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-14/youth-mental-health-crisis-what-parents-should-watch-forThen, of course, the next mountain to climb is FINDING and PAYING FOR out-patient counseling or in-patient care. Cuz we can't spend billions more on the next generations' mental and physical health. That might raise Elon's taxes. "Typically, the responsibility falls on parents to bring problems to the school’s attention. “My advice to parents is, don’t be passive,” she said. In addition to plugging the child into the programs the school provides, Lezya Weglarz, vice chair of the California Assn. of School Counselors, said counselors can connect families with services outside of school. “We’re happy to walk a family through the steps needed to get that support,” she said. “We help families navigate those conversations, even with a child’s pediatrician.” Paul Brazzel, president of the California Assn. of School Social Workers, suggested that parents ask for a meeting at their child’s school. Typically, he said, schools will set up a “student success team” meeting for the parents (and the child, if developmentally appropriate) with teachers and the school social workers or counselor to discuss the child’s background and strengths, then build a plan to address the family’s concerns. “That’s a really nice place for families to start that process,” Brazzel said. It can document the issues, hold people accountable, and identify the resources available to help. Many schools are short-staffed when it comes to mental health providers, so if you need more immediate assistance, you can also find help elsewhere. Brammer said parents with insurance should check the back of their insurance card for a number to call for mental health services and referrals available to them. Another avenue to access care, she said, is reaching out to the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to learn about programs, Medi-Cal specific programs or local organizations." Many more resources at link - some LA specific but some national. Like NAMI & Trevor Project. |
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Post by hop2 on Dec 15, 2021 20:43:10 GMT
@zingermack said: that's why i rail and rail and rail on SOCIETAL spending on emotional intelligence - from the time they're babies - cuz a LOT of them aren't getting it at home. I think this is important. I don't think we've invested in this ever and many of us grew up in households that were just as deficient when it comes to mental health. The cycle is just being perpetuated. As generations go on, we are more likely to accept that kids express their feelings, however we are much less strict in our parenting. In other words, kids feel freer to act out because they aren't afraid of the wrath of their parents anymore. In the grand scheme of things, I see where the pandemic added to people's existing problems and shined a light on weaknesses people already had but weren't addressing. But I don't believe we have higher levels of mental illness in this generation. I just feel that we are perpetuating cycles of mental illness and younger generations can be more open. So we think we are seeing it more frequently. I agree, we were brought up by the “shhhh we don’t talk about *that*, pull yourself up by your bootstraps & work hard generation. The everybody has problems just deal with it generation. And our parents had wrath and weren’t afraid to use it. I do think we perpetuate some things. And I whole heartedly agree that the circumstances of the pandemic brought a lot of problems to light and a lot of people right to the very edge. And help is hard to find, hard to afford and asking for, finding help still comes with a huge stigma, so if people hit a roadblock or two looking for help they are more likely to give up looking. |
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Post by hop2 on Dec 15, 2021 20:46:35 GMT
Youth mental health crisis: What parents should watch for "It’s important for parents, she said, to learn what warning signs to look for in their kids and how to reach out for additional support. Here are some suggestions offered by mental health experts. David W. Bond, director of behavioral health for Blue Shield of California, cautioned parents against trying to diagnose their child by themselves or with the assistance of the internet. Nevertheless, some behavioral shifts can raise red flags that should prompt a parent to seek help. Experts interviewed by The Times, including school social workers and counselors, listed a number of behavioral and emotional changes that, if sustained, could be a sign of a more serious problem: An increase in truancy, tardiness or resistance to going to school. A sharp change in focus or difficulty concentrating, a lack of motivation, or falling grades. Feeling anxious, sad or low all the time, or frequent mood swings. Withdrawing from friends. Indications of self-harm. Frequent nightmares and sleep disturbances, whether it be sleeping too much or not sleeping enough. Changes in eating habits. Sharp changes in social media habits. Peer conflict. Physical symptoms, including frequent headaches, stomach aches or body aches.... It can be hard to discern between the normal and abnormal in a developing young person. But if a teen has intense feelings that last more than two weeks or has the intense feelings for most of a two-week period, that’s a sign of something more serious afoot. " www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-14/youth-mental-health-crisis-what-parents-should-watch-forThen, of course, the next mountain to climb is FINDING and PAYING FOR out-patient counseling or in-patient care. Cuz we can't spend billions more on the next generations' mental and physical health. That might raise Elon's taxes. "Typically, the responsibility falls on parents to bring problems to the school’s attention. “My advice to parents is, don’t be passive,” she said. In addition to plugging the child into the programs the school provides, Lezya Weglarz, vice chair of the California Assn. of School Counselors, said counselors can connect families with services outside of school. “We’re happy to walk a family through the steps needed to get that support,” she said. “We help families navigate those conversations, even with a child’s pediatrician.” Paul Brazzel, president of the California Assn. of School Social Workers, suggested that parents ask for a meeting at their child’s school. Typically, he said, schools will set up a “student success team” meeting for the parents (and the child, if developmentally appropriate) with teachers and the school social workers or counselor to discuss the child’s background and strengths, then build a plan to address the family’s concerns. “That’s a really nice place for families to start that process,” Brazzel said. It can document the issues, hold people accountable, and identify the resources available to help. Many schools are short-staffed when it comes to mental health providers, so if you need more immediate assistance, you can also find help elsewhere. Brammer said parents with insurance should check the back of their insurance card for a number to call for mental health services and referrals available to them. Another avenue to access care, she said, is reaching out to the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to learn about programs, Medi-Cal specific programs or local organizations." Many more resources at link - some LA specific but some national. Like NAMI & Trevor Project. The mental health providers on the back of my ( comparatively very good ) insurance are mostly not accepting new patients. My DD drove 40 miles to her Dr. And I live in a suburban area where medical providers are not scarce. I assume many people are facing the same issue. |
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RosieKat
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Post by RosieKat on Dec 15, 2021 23:13:21 GMT
The first two professionals we’ve seen have not worked out for us and we’re on a 3 month waitlist for a third. They are completely backed up because of the numbers of people desperate for help. Definitely the case in general. Mental health experts are in short supply to begin with, and ones who specialize in kids/teens are even rarer. That's the heart of it, imo. These kids have little/no emotional intelligence. They have little/no coping skills. The world is hard and stressful. Who knows what their homes lives are. They get their highs from being noticed and being in control. And then there are the kids like my DS13, who missed the end of 5th grade because of Covid, did online for almost all of 6th grade, and (in August of this year) was suddenly supposed to know how to "do" middle school. He's a good kid but deals with oppositional defiant disorder and severe ADHD, so the sudden change of structure and new freedoms without that introductory year of 6th grade have not helped him learn to make the best choices. So we do the best we can, and he has had a therapist since 4th grade, and we keep trying. There are also the fun revelations of things like apparently almost everyone at the school at least tries cutting. (This was verified in a personal conversation with a teacher friend there.) There's just no way faculty can keep up with all the mental health needs of the kids. At least my son has parents who are trying to help him learn and be healthy and to do the right thing. I know for a fact that there are many kids at this one school alone who don't have much, if any, support at home. David W. Bond, director of behavioral health for Blue Shield of California, cautioned parents against trying to diagnose their child by themselves or with the assistance of the internet. Nevertheless, some behavioral shifts can raise red flags that should prompt a parent to seek help. Yeah, but good luck even finding someone to return your call. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2021 23:21:04 GMT
Yeah, but good luck even finding someone to return your call. I hear you. Hug. Imagine if we'd pay counselors, therapists, school counselors, social workers, etc. as much as we pay CEOs or hedge fund managers. We talk and talk, as a society, about how important our children are, but we don't, as a society, put our money where our mouths are. Instead we ask people to do these emotionally draining jobs for mediocre money, in exhausting and difficult circumstances. It's no wonder there is a shortage. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Dec 15, 2021 23:28:24 GMT
I can tell you we are actively working on redesigning the payment models for behavioral health - to increase payment to therapists and LCSWs. Agree the need is great and too little has been done.
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Post by SallyPA on Dec 16, 2021 0:14:48 GMT
Oh the stories I could tell. This past year and a half have been really challenging, to say the least. Hugs to all of you also dealing with this in your family also.
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RosieKat
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Post by RosieKat on Dec 16, 2021 0:38:12 GMT
Thankfully, we have the professionals we need for our family now. But when my DD was having hallucinations and expressed suicidal ideation at 6 and there was a known genetic history of serious mental illnesses in her background, I had to make over 40 calls. Only about 5 even returned the call. I still thank God for the old German psychiatrist who was about to retire, but said she'd take us on for a while in order to get her into the "network." Oh, and we live in one of the largest metro areas in the US, so if we'd have lived in some smaller city or a rural area, I suspect we'd have been seriously just out of luck and I might only be a mother of 1 child now rather than the 2 I thankfully have. My heart breaks for everyone who needs help and doesn't know where to turn to or have the resources to persist. |
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Post by hop2 on Dec 16, 2021 1:52:54 GMT
One place my DD found help when she was in college ( since the colleges own staff are basically over worked with crisis cases ) after 3 times trying and finding her colleges therapists unavailable to help since she was not in crisis they finally told her to check into a program at another university that had a program where you could see psychiatric program students for $25 as long as you weren’t in crisis. At that point it seemed pretty affordable to us since professionals not on our plan we’re hundreds of dollars and they accepted ex’s hsa for the $25. DD said it was one of the best mental health professionals she’s ever had.
So if anyone you know is looking for help and are near a university with a program it might be a solution, or at least a temporary stop gap.
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