If You Want To Fix The U.S. Mental Health System, Start With Primary Care | Think | NBC News

This is definitely NOT where to start. It's not even on the top ten list of most mental illness activists. A primary care physician may have some hoops to jump through but has at least several options: 1) schedule a follow up appointment, 2) take more time with this patient now and re-code the insurance claim for this visit for a longer appointment, or 3) refer the patient to both a psychiatrist AND a psychologist (or other qualified therapist) for appropriate therapy.

However, this would do little for those who need a higher level of care or immediate stabilization. Fixing the mental health system must focus first on where people don't even get care of any kind. Many of the patients with the most serious stages of a mental illness are unable to understand that they are ill and need care, or too ill to request care on their own and follow a required medical and therapy regimen. In most states you can not secure involuntary outpatient or in patient care for such a severely ill patient unless the patient is in the midst of carrying out a plan to do deadly violence to themselves or another, or are refusing all food.

People who want to make a difference need to work with a state or national mental illness organization that is strong on reform advocacy to understand the issues and how to bring about real change. I'd suggest trying any of these organizations: the National Shattering the Silence Coalition; the Treatment Advocacy Center, or the Mental Illness Policy Organization. Unfortunately, most of the other prominent national organizations have for various reasons stumbled over how to consistently support the most needed reforms.i