What is the Role of Advocacy in Mental Health Treatment?

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The recent State of Mental Health in America 2018 reports that 1 in 5 Americans has a mental health condition, that is over 40 million Americans. Today though, more people in our country have access to insurance and treatment, but many still lack access to care. In fact, over 56% of individuals with a mental illness do not receive treatment.

The study provided overall rankings for all 50 states in the country, evaluating overall prevalence of mental health issues and access to treatment. Even in the highest-ranking state of Maine, almost half of the of adults did not receive treatment for their disorder, showing access to care is still a serious issue.

Individuals like Virgil Stucker of Virgil Stucker and Associates, have worked diligently to advocate for the increased availability of residential treatment and therapeutic communities and increased efforts to improve the mental health field. He shares that because there is such a gap in care, many of those struggling with mental illness are in jail or prison, homeless, or are in the care of their aging parents.

“I am advocating for some restoration of sanity in mental health care because without it we are abusing and losing some of our most vulnerable members of society,” he shares. At Pasadena Villa, we work with organizations at the national, regional, and local level to advocate for our clients and those needing treatment for their mental health disorder.

Providing access to the proper mental health treatment is vital for recovery. Learn more about the role of advocacy in helping to close the gap in treatment from David Bell, CEO of Pasadena Villa, and Virgil Stucker.