NRS 415 Benchmark – Creating Change Through Advocacy Creating Change Through Advocacy

Problem

In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues.

Mental health is a growing public health concern based on evidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other entities that work collaboratively with federal and state health agencies across the United States. The CDC (2023) asserts that over 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness. Further, more than 1 in five youth (13-18 years) either currently or at some point in their life, suffer from a seriously debilitating mental problem. The CDC advances that close to 1 in 23 adults in the U.S. has a long-term serious mental health disorder like bipolar disorder, major depression, dementia, and schizophrenia. The Mental Health America (MHA) notes that about 21% or close to 51 million adults in the country have mental illness. The organization also observes that the vast majority of these individuals suffer from comorbidities; including substance use disorder and opioid use disorder. However, close to three-quarters of those suffering from mental health illnesses do not access treatment. For instance, MHA opines that in 2021, over 15% of adults had a substance use disorder, yet 93.5% never received any form of treatment. 

The current ramifications include increased susceptibility of the affected to comorbidities, reduced productivity, and a rise in the cost of healthcare, especially in treating those with chronic mental health disorders. The ramifications also include increased resource allocation, the need for more access to health services, and expansion of facilities to cater to the growing number. The rising number of people with mental health illnesses has serious consequences on public health, if not addressed (Taylor et al. (2023). The implication is that more people will experience worse mental health outcomes leading to devastating effects like suicide, violence, and a general breakdown in public order.  

Idea for Addressing Solution

In no more than 250 words, outline your idea for addressing the issue and explain why legislation is the best course for advocacy.

Addressing the issue requires improving access to mental health care services across states and through federal and state funding. The Council of State Governments (2023) mental health should be among the top policy priorities for states. The council notes that mental health, including substance use disorder, are critical priority legislative areas for states to reduce the current prevalence of the problem. According to the council, 9 out of 10 adults in the country believe the country is in a mental health crisis with suicide being ranked as the 12th leading cause of death. In 2020, close to 46,000 deaths were attributed to suicide; an indication of the magnitude of the issue (MHA, 2023).

Evidence suggests that expanding access to mental health through resources and expansion of medical health insurance coverage will allow more people to get care services, particularly treatment and recovery. More people are not accessing care due to stigmatization, limited resources like lack of insurance coverage, insufficient mental health personnel, and lack of information. Recent legislative policies and acts demonstrate efforts to increase access to care services. These policies emanate from legislative efforts in Congress; illustrating the core role that legislation plays in advocacy. The COVID-19 pandemic increased and worsen