Mental Health Services in the US

[WuWei]

You seen a mental ward in a VA?

[FloridaYankee]

New York State and Connecticut.

[WuWei]

@FloridaYankee

New York and Connecticut.

How is the VA doing mental health?

[FloridaYankee]

My bad, I thought you meant Virginia lol.

[WuWei]

@FloridaYankee

My bad, I thought you meant Virginia lol.

Veterans Administration.

How are they doing with mental health?

[Gaius]

A very very few programs for the mentally ill do any sort of good. They are the exceptions.

For the most part:
We could increase mental health spending to $1million per year per patient and the number of dysfunctionally mentally ill (can’t hold a job, can’t pay rent, can’t manage a household of 1) people will not change. No one will become “cured” from their illness bec. No one will become functional because of it.

We could decrease mental health spending to ZERO dollars per person and only a small handful of people will lose the ability to function (work, pay rent manage a household.of 1).

[WuWei]

@Gaius

A very very few programs for the mentally ill do any sort of good. They are the exceptions.

For the most part:
We could increase mental health spending to $1million per year per patient and the number of dysfunctionally mentally ill (can’t hold a job, can’t pay rent, can’t manage a household of 1) people will not change. No one will become “cured” from their illness bec. No one will become functional because of it.

We could decrease mental health spending to ZERO dollars per person and only a small handful of people will lose the ability to function (work, pay rent manage a household.of 1).

For me the science needs to be addressed before the spending.

[FloridaYankee]

@WuWei

@FloridaYankee

My bad, I thought you meant Virginia lol.

Veterans Administration.

How are they doing with mental health?

I have not researched it. I hear bad things and then I hear someone else say they aren’t doing too bad.

[WuWei]

@FloridaYankee

@WuWei

@FloridaYankee

My bad, I thought you meant Virginia lol.

Veterans Administration.

How are they doing with mental health?

I have not researched it. I hear bad things and then I hear someone else say they aren’t doing too bad.

I think that’s the care in general, not mental health.

22 suicides a day.

[FloridaYankee]

@Gaius

A very very few programs for the mentally ill do any sort of good. They are the exceptions.

For the most part:
We could increase mental health spending to $1million per year per patient and the number of dysfunctionally mentally ill (can’t hold a job, can’t pay rent, can’t manage a household of 1) people will not change. No one will become “cured” from their illness bec. No one will become functional because of it.

We could decrease mental health spending to ZERO dollars per person and only a small handful of people will lose the ability to function (work, pay rent manage a household.of 1).

We can help a lot of people prevent bad outcomes. Becoming destitute, suicide, murder, jailtime, grinding loneliness, early death, poor health… That ■■■■ matters.

[WuWei]

I’m for it, done right.

[Gaius]

That is correct. 100% correct.
Addiction can be beaten, but only under certain circumstances (the patient has to really really want it, and be in a frame-of-mind, that encourages them to cooperate.

Severe depression, severe anxiety and a fee other disorders can also be treated.

SOME schizophrenics etc., can live normal lives if they stay in their meds, but lack-of-funding is not preventing them from taking their meds. Increased funding will not increase the rate of “people in staying on their meds.”

I have been told that adequate early intervention produces positive results throughout a “child’s” academic career.

Nonetheless, all this is cherry picking a few random success stories I am not saying we should cut off welfare benefits, food stamps etc. for the mentally ill. By all means, if a person cannot work and cannot pay for goody, housing etc…

But the money we spend above and beyond that specifically for mental illness, does very little good. We are just throwing money into a money hole.

[FloridaYankee]

@WuWei

@FloridaYankee

@WuWei

@FloridaYankee

My bad, I thought you meant Virginia lol.

Veterans Administration.

How are they doing with mental health?

I have not researched it. I hear bad things and then I hear someone else say they aren’t doing too bad.

I think that’s the care in general, not mental health.

22 suicides a day.

Those people can be helped, there are many examples out there. Most doctors can’t relate to them well due to their lack of understanding of what they may have been through. There are certainly people who can.

[WuWei]

I think the cost estimates are based on more of the same.

I would imagine doing it right would require more.

[WuWei]

@FloridaYankee

Those people can be helped, there are many examples out there. Most doctors can’t relate to them well due to their lack of understanding of what they may have been through. There are certainly people who can.

And are trying.

My point is, government isn’t doing any better.

[Gaius]

With social programs? Sure. The mentally ill SHOULD get welfare, good stamps housing etc…

But, with a few rare exceptions, the money we spend beyond that, the money in we earmark “for mental illness” does not create any of the benefits you are talking about.

[FloridaYankee]

@WuWei

I’m for it, done right.

My way of thinking tells me it can’t be private, as society will not accept having a profit motive involved. The Patient’s Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of this idea that just popped into my head, literally posted in every facility with legal consequences specific to mental healthcare facilities. Prison time for the worst offenders, kicked out of healthcare for some, it has to be serious ■■■■■

[WuWei]

@FloridaYankee

@WuWei

I’m for it, done right.

My way of thinking tells me it can’t be private, as society will not accept having a profit motive involved. The Patient’s Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of this idea that just popped into my head, literally posted in every facility with legal consequences specific to mental healthcare facilities. Prison time for the worst offenders, kicked out of healthcare for some, it has to be serious ■■■■■

Posting rights does little good.

[FloridaYankee]

@Gaius

With social programs? Sure. The mentally ill SHOULD get welfare, good stamps housing etc…

But, with a few rare exceptions, the money we spend beyond that, the money in we earmark “for mental illness” does not create any of the benefits you are talking about.

What benefits do you mean? I have personally helped prevent suicides and related outcomes. It can be done.

[FloridaYankee]

@WuWei

@FloridaYankee

@WuWei

I’m for it, done right.

My way of thinking tells me it can’t be private, as society will not accept having a profit motive involved. The Patient’s Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of this idea that just popped into my head, literally posted in every facility with legal consequences specific to mental healthcare facilities. Prison time for the worst offenders, kicked out of healthcare for some, it has to be serious ■■■■■

Posting rights does little good.

I disagree, but when have we ever even tried anything like this? If that existed years ago One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest might never have been made.