SAN ANTONIO – Experts are glad to see more people reaching out for mental health following the death of 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, but it’s highlighting an issue in access to services.
Viewers told KSAT that it is hard to get mental health services for their children.
Melanie and Brad Denson’s daughter started showing signs of mental illness at a young age that came to a head when she was a teenager, but they weren’t able to find the right help until she was older.
“Our daughter stopped sleeping. She’s showing aggression,” Melanie Denson said, “and she went from making great grades to failing.”
Their daughter is now 29 years old and thriving while managing her conditions.
“It wasn’t just throwing more pills at the situation, or in and out. It was, ‘Let’s just start from the beginning,’” Melanie Denson said, “and that was what put her on a different trajectory because they were treating the whole person and they were working collaboratively with her primary care physician as well as her family members.”
The Densons gained so much knowledge along their mental health journey that they now teach classes at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater San Antonio.
“Unfortunately, Texas is one of those states that they just don’t have enough counselors, psychiatrists, any of those to handle the volume that we have in the state, much less San Antonio,” Brad Denson said.
City leadership said they are aware of the issue and it’s urgency.
“It’s something that keeps us up at night for sure,” said Jessie Higgins, Chief Mental Health Officer for the City of San Antonio.
Higgins agreed the root of the problem is a lack of mental health professionals and dwindling funding.
“We’re looking at every opportunity,” Higgins said. “We are constantly in meetings with the county, working together. Federal funds are different this year than they have been. But it’s really the state, so it’s hard.”
While those issues take some time to solve, KSAT wanted to know how families can get help now.
“When it’s hard to get into a counselor, a psychiatrist,” Higgins said, “referrals are one of the ways to get in.”
Referrals can come from many places, but one common source is pediatricians or hospitals.
“Have the primary care doctor’s office call and actually make the appointment,” Brad Denson said. “I worked in the medical field for 22 years, and I will tell you that if a doctor-to-doctor call is made, that person will get in a lot quicker.”
In the meantime, Higgins said pediatricians can sometimes prescribe medications until they are seen by a psychiatrist.
Higgins also said school counselors can also provide referrals.
“Schools have these contracts with providers, with nonprofits, with psychiatrists, with different things,” Higgins said. “The state even has a program called TCHATT, which is psychiatry and counseling that’s offered through the school.”
Local nonprofits can help lead families to services, too.
“The Center for Healthcare Services is a great resource for people in our community without insurance,” Higgins said, “and the San Antonio Community Resource Directory has a mental health portal.”
The Densons said it was NAMI that saved their family.
“These classes are available, they’re free to the community,” Brad Denson said. “They’re available in English, they are available in Spanish. They’re even working on ones for the deaf or hard of hearing.”
They also suggest families attend the support groups through NAMI, where families can help each other and learn from one another as they navigate the process.
Higgins said prevention is key, though.
Getting services is easier when parents start early, Higgins said, and don’t wait until their kids are in crisis.
When loved ones see signs of mental illness, Higgins said they should immediately reach out to a local organization or seek a referral.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, there is help. Call 988 or text TALK to 741-741. If there is an immediate danger, call 911.
You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 210-223-7233 (SAFE) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.
If you are not in crisis but need someone to talk to, or want to ask for services for yourself or a loved one, call NAMI’s Warm Line at (210) 939-9999.
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