Co-Founder Behavioral Fitness™ and Providing Easier Access to Care Everywhere (PEACE) 501c3, Aspiring Author
The mental health report below shared by Thomas Insel shows we are slowly stepping in the right direction, especially with more efforts on prevention and use of peer support models. I highly recommend Thomas Insel’s book Healing to learn more about the history and current state of our mental health system. My thoughts as a former emergency nurse and mental health innovator: Innovation in mental health is critical to address this ever growing crisis. We have a fractured mental health system that is failing to meet the needs of individuals and families. The medical model for mental health relies on a diagnosis to gain access to medications and talk therapy. This does not meet everyone’s needs. There are staggering statistics around the number of people who need mental health support and never receive it - in part because they are adverse to use of medications and talk therapy. I have seen friends and colleagues suffer and even die because our system is failing to meet people where they are. This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about the work I’m doing with Behavioral Fitness. At Behavioral Fitness, we are seeking to be part of the change using an outside the box approach. It’s not something that a medical provider can recommend to patients because it’s not under the realm of medications and talk therapy or recognized as a “standard of care”. Your provider may recommend “lifestyle modifications” but so often they are not be able to recommend where to get to make the lifestyle modifications- unless its in the box of the medical model. These resources are severely lacking. You wont find Behavioral Fitness on the 80 page list of providers you are given to call to find mental health support. BTW- in my experience most of the providers on the list wont call you back because they are so backlogged. Another major problem with our system. Henry Ford once said: “If I had asked the people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Solutions for the mental health crisis need to look beyond medications and talk therapy and bring forth solutions that operationalize compassion and empower people at every turn. Behavioral Fitness is not medication driven or even considered talk therapy. What our members say about Behavioral Fitness: It works! It’s easy to access! I wish I had found you sooner. Behavioral Fitness has benefitted my whole family. Behavioral Fitness meets people and families where they are to help people live better- whatever that looks like for them. What I believe is missing in our mental health system? -a more humanistic, inspiring, engaging, and empowering approach that really meets people where they are without judgment, shame or blame. This is Behavioral Fitness. We imagine a world where we all have access to becoming the creators of our own unique Behavioral Fitness plans. What are your thoughts?
Psychiatrist-Neuroscientist, Author, Entrepreneur, Mental Health Advocate, Co-Founder Humanest, Co-founder and Executive Chair at Vanna Health, Former NIMH Director
New report out on what health plans are doing to address the mental health crisis. The report identifies five areas where plans are investing: 1. Expanding behavioral health integration 2. Broadening team-based approaches 3. Developing and incentivizing the workforce pipeline 4. Decreasing provider burdens 5. Supporting crisis services and prevention Great to see the increasing focus on #mental healthcare, especially inclusion of crisis services and prevention. What’s missing? Health plans are still failing to deliver the recovery services that are critical for reducing death and disability from serious mental illness. We need a new model of care that prioritizes engagement as well as access and is built for improving outcomes and not just reducing costs.
Oh my gosh, Teri that post fired me up so much right now!!! I would love love love to collaborate with you guys to blast this message to more people!
Michelle Bernabe, RN, MBA Candidate Daniel Lawhon Lance Rosen Josh Gordon Owen Muir MD Maryal Concepcion, MD FAAFP
Co-Founder Behavioral Fitness™ and Providing Easier Access to Care Everywhere (PEACE) 501c3, Aspiring Author
1yDr. Allyson Mayo