Where Massachusetts ranks in access to mental health

INCREASE MANUFACTURING IN THE UNITED STATES. FIVE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH NOW, THERE IS A NEW REPORT RANKING THE BEST STATES IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND PREVALENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, MASSACHUSETTS IS SIXTH ON THAT LIST. JOINING US NOW IS DOCTOR KATIE KHADIJAH BOOTHE WATKINS, A PSYCHIATRIST AND THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE CLAY CENTER FOR YOUNG HEALTHY MINDS AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. GREAT TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. SO YOU HAVE YOU HAVE READ THROUGH THIS REPORT. SO MASSACHUSETTS DID WELL. WHY DID MASSACHUSETTS DO SO WELL? I MEAN, WE DID WELL. AND I THINK WE NEED TO NOT FORGET THAT WE STILL ARE IN THE MIDST OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. BUT I DO THINK MASSACHUSETTS DID WELL BECAUSE WE WE HAVE FEWER PEOPLE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AS IT RELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE. SO PEOPLE WHO NEED CARE, THEY’RE BETTER ABLE TO ACCESS CARE. I THINK WE HAVE ALSO FEWER PEOPLE UNINSURED. AND SO I THINK TO THAT TO THE ISSUE OF OR TO THE POINT OF ACCESS, MORE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS CARE BECAUSE WE KNOW NOT HAVING INSURANCE SERVES AS A BARRIER. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER BIG THING IS THAT MASSACHUSETTS IS REALLY COMMITTED TO IMPROVING AND SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH CARE. YOU KNOW, THERE’S STATE LEVEL POLICIES THAT ARE GEARED TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING ACCESS AND EQUITY AS IT RELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO I THINK THIS COMMITMENT MAKES A REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE. OH, OBVIOUSLY IT DOES. THAT’S WHY WE’RE THERE ON THE LIST. BUT WHERE DO YOU THINK MASSACHUSETTS CAN IMPROVE? DOCTOR? YOU KNOW, I THINK THE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT ARE STILL THAT THERE IS STILL A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNMET NEED. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS CARE IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE DEPRESSED OR ANXIOUS AREN’T ABLE TO RECEIVE CARE. AND THIS COULD BE DUE TO COST BEING A BARRIER. THE LONG WAIT LINES AND WAITLISTS THAT STILL EXIST. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED TO FIND PROVIDERS THAT SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE, AND THAT STILL IS AN AREA OF CONCERN. AND ANOTHER BIG AREA IS STILL THIS ISSUE OF WORKFORCE SHORTAGE. LIKE IT’S IT’S HUGE AND IT PERSISTS. AND SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT SPARK INTEREST IN THIS FIELD, RECRUIT EARLY BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN EXISTING WORKFORCE THROUGH LIKE LOAN REPAYMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION. I THINK THOSE ARE THE AREAS WE CAN IMPROVE. SO SO IF PARENTS HERE WANT TO GET COUNSELING OR OTHER THERAPY FOR A CHILD, WHAT’S THE FIRST STEP? YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY THAT OUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS ARE THE GATEWAY TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH CARE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE PEDIATRICIAN, YOUR FAMILY CARE, FAMILY CARE DOCTOR, THOSE ARE YOUR FIRST LINE PEOPLE TO GO TO TO SEEK CARE. SCHOOLS CAN ALSO BE A GREAT RESOURCE. THEY OFTEN HAVE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SCHOOL THERAPISTS AND COUNSELORS. AND SO THEY CAN OFTEN RUN, YOU KNOW, GROUPS, AND THEY OFTEN CAN DO INDIVIDUAL THERAPY. AND YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER IS ANOTHER AVENUE TO EXPLORE. YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A LIST OF PROVIDERS THAT ARE COVERED ON YOUR INSURANCE, AND THAT’S A PLACE TO START CALLING TO SEE IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE THAT MEETS YOUR NEEDS. DOCTOR RUTH WATKINS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.