Andrew Malekoff, center, along with State Senators Elaine Phillips and Todd Kaminsky
Last week, the Roslyn-based North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center hosted a conference highlighting the difficulties Long Islanders face when seeking help for mental health or chemical dependency issues.
Project Access is a year-long study in which hundreds of Long Islanders were surveyed about their experiences in trying to obtain such medical help. The study was supported by the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund of the Long Island Community Foundation.
Of the 650 Long Islanders who took part in the survey, almost half said that it was more difficult finding help for mental health or substance abuse problems than finding help for physical illnesses, nearly 40 percent said that their insurance company did not have an adequate number of providers and two-thirds said that their insurance company was not helpful to them in finding a suitable provider for themselves or a loved one.
Most disturbingly, almost 40 percent reported that stigma and affordability were impediments to seeking care.
“This report verifies what we have long known: Insurance companies and the government are not living up to their responsibility to provide people with quality, affordable and timely mental health and addictions care,” said Andrew Malekoff, executive director of the center. “Even though they are legally bound to have adequate networks of care, they fall far short of that mandate.”
Several speakers shared their stories.
“When my sister’s condition began to worsen, it put our entire family into crisis,” said Kerry Eller. “We knew she needed professional help to get her through this incredibly difficult time. It was extremely challenging to access appropriate treatment for my sister. The insurance company was not helpful with connecting us to in-network providers; they would give us referrals but when we would call, we would often find out that they no longer participated with our plan. It was exhausting and heart breaking to have to endure one failed call after another.”
“At our first visit to the ER, their first question wasn’t ‘How is he doing’ but rather ‘Do you have insurance that covers mental health care?’” added Janet Susin, the president of Queens/Nassau NAMI, on the troubles she faced in getting her son care for schizophrenia. “The reality is that there are not enough psychiatrists, particularly child psychiatrists, and very few are willing to take insurance. We need to do something to rectify that situation.”
Finally, Rebecca Sanin, President/CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, spoke of the great disparity in obtaining mental health care as opposed to care for physical illnesses. “Imagine if cancer patients faced delays and inadequate coverage; we would be up in arms as a region,” she said. “Project Access shows that two-thirds of respondents said insurance companies were not helpful and that it required multiple calls and contacts to access care. This is unconscionable. When a person is in crisis, the window to engage in treatment is small, and it may never open again if they are turned away.”
“We are calling on the New York State Department of Financial Services to launch a thorough investigation of this issue,” Malekoff added. “It’s incumbent upon all of us to advocate for change. Access delayed is access denied. People’s lives are at stake.”
When the kids are on break over the holidays, many parents also take time off. Some plan vacations, while others choose “staycations.”Either way, what’s most important is that you use the time to create fond memories with your family.
Here are some ideas for a happy holiday break for the whole family:
Eat dinner together. While this is a great goal throughout the year, activities such as sports, clubs, work obligations and the like can make family meals a rare event. But the benefits are so worthwhile you may decide to make this a more frequent part of your daily routine. According to an article in CNN, studies show that kids who eat regularly with their families experience less depression, fewer thoughts of suicide and fewer eating disorders.They’re also less likely to experiment with smoking, drinking and drugs. When a child is feeling down, eating with the family can be a time of great bonding, helping break the cycle of depression.
Read all about it! Spending time reading to your kids if they’re younger or side by side if they’re older is not only a great way to pass the time and enter the world of imagination, but it’s also a great tool for children’s development. Studies indicated that reading to children even as young as newborns helps them with speech and with bonding with their parents. For kids who already know how to read, reading with their parent or caregiver creates a close relationship and helps them understand the world around them. Not sure what to read? Your library is the perfect place to visit and get advice from the experts who work there. (Also, see if your library has family-friendly activities over the holiday break.)
Look to the stars. Sure, it may be a bit chilly out there, but bundle up, head outside and look up. You can use an app like Google Sky to learn about stars and planets, or just use the opportunity to enjoy nature and talk about the magnificence of the universe. Don’t forget the hot cocoa!
Break out the board games. Playing games isn’t just a way to have fun, though that is a big part it! But it can also help your children release some stress, learn skills that could benefit them academically and socially, and enhance communication skills. Click here to learn about 50 great board games, both classic and new.
Get crafty. Even if you’re not an “artsy” kind of parent, you can find numerous arts & crafts project online that will be a wonderful way to spend some time with your kids. Scrapbooking is a great activity that will reap benefits for years to come. Visit your local craft store for kits, and gather your children to print out their favorite photos. You can choose to create a themed scrapbook of one of your vacations, or a “wish list” with photos of all your favorite things. Here’s a great site to check out if you’re new to scrapbooking.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure that you include your kids in the planning. The mainidea is to have FUN with your FAMILY! Happy vacation!
Senator Elaine Phillips joined North Shore Child-Family Guidance Center officials at a news conference today to promote the importance of affordable and timely mental health care for all New York residents. . The news conference unveiled results to “Project Access,” a study conducted by the center that explores roadblocks individuals face when trying to obtain mental health and addiction care.
“Timely and affordable mental health and addiction care should be accessible to anyone in need.” Senator Elaine Phillips said. “I applaud the North Shore Child-Family Guidance Center for its unwavering support and dedicated work to raise awareness of a problem that has affected far too many middle and working class families on Long Island. ‘Project Access,’ the Center’s recent study, sheds much needed light on the obstacles individuals face when trying to obtain care for mental health illnesses and substance abuse problems.”
“Project Access” is an initiative to improve access to mental health and addictions care. Nearly 650 Long Islanders responded to the survey, with almost half of the respondents indicating that it was more difficult finding help for mental health or substance abuse problems than finding help for physical illnesses.
The North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center helps children and families address issues such as depression and anxiety, developmental delays, bullying, teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, teen drug and alcohol abuse, and family crises stemming from illness, death, trauma and divorce.
