by 
Share On Social!
Mental health inequities are a key problem that many Latinos face in their overall health care. In California (38.18% Latino population), steps have been taken to help alleviate some of these problems with the passing of a new law that will take effect on January 1, 2017. In past years, many health centers in rural parts of the state were unable to bill Medi-Cal, the government health program for low-income Californians, for services; the new law reverses that decision.
Without proper treatment, mental health conditions can worsen and make day-to-day life hard. Latinos are less likely to seek mental health treatment. A 2001 Surgeon General’s report found that only 20% of Latinos with symptoms of a psychological disorder talk to a doctor about their concerns. Only 10% contact a mental health specialist. Among patients at Clinic Sierra Vista, which has facilities throughout California, 30% suffered from depression, anxiety or alcoholism. The new law was designed to help clinics better treat these patients by eliminating gaps in mental health care.
“I am ecstatic that this passed,” said Christopher Reilly, the chief of behavioral health services at Clinica Sierra Vista, in an interview with news station KQED. “It means a lot more people are going to get attention for their behavioral health needs a lot earlier.”
In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved.
Under the current law, health clinics hire licensed clinical social workers and psychologists for Medi-Cal patients. Many can’t find enough to meet the needs of patients and many clinics currently do not have behavioral health services at all. The new law affects nearly 1,000 federally-funded and rural health clinics. As the clinics accept patients regardless of their financial ability, they currently rely heavily on Medi-Cal reimbursements.
“Now we get to recruit from a whole other pool of qualified candidates,” OLE Health CEO Tanir Ami said to KQED. “I am hoping it will make it exponentially easier to find the workforce we need.”
Access to mental health services has long been a challenge in California, especially for low-income residents. In 2014, millions more Californians became eligible for Medi-Cal and for mental health services under the Affordable Care Act. That put even more pressure on the system.
“If you get people the behavioral health they need, you potentially keep them out of emergency rooms, which is a huge savings,” said the bill’s author, Assemblyman Jim Wood in a statement.
Read more about this story here.
Read stories similar to this one:
- Program helps food insecure Latinos. #SaludAmerica #HealthEquity http://salud.to/2ebjlyT
- College students are seeking mental health treatment at greater rates. #SaludAmerica #HealthEquity #Education http://salud.to/2dIHNnO
By The Numbers
25.1
percent
of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage
