The growing need
Hidden diseases are diseases no less
THE ECONOMY is good, unemployment is down, graduation rates are up. For many of us, this is enough. Life is good. But it’s not enough for many Arkansans suffering from silent diseases. And the suffering is real.
With the expansion of nurse practitioners and walk-in clinics, more Arkansans are finally seeing options for their medical care.
At least for broken bones and ear infections. But the same can’t be said for mental health problems. We know. We talked to a longtime counselor in Little Rock who says the mental health-care desert in Arkansas is a growing concern.
She gets calls from places like Nashville and Mountain Home, because patients there are looking for recommendations for therapists and counselors. But she can’t name anyone in their part of the state because the providers . . . just aren’t there. If you don’t live in Fayetteville or Little Rock, finding a psychologist can be next to impossible. Sick people need a doctor, and they might not have the capability to drive
three or four hours across the state for regular appointments.
It would be fantastic to see our state’s health department dedicate extra funding to help with this. Every school needs a counselor who is equipped to deal with kids struggling with mental illness. Because kids get sick, too. And every county should have professionals to help patients with mental illnesses—those who can spot dangerous behaviors and help correct them. One way or the other. The problem only grows as our state fails to address it. If grants won’t work, maybe there should be tax breaks for clinicians to move into rural areas to help patients with emotional pain. Perhaps the solution is a combination of the two.
The one bit of good news on this front comes from the creation of 200 recently announced mental health jobs at Youth Bridge, a Fayetteville-based behavioral health group. More care for more patients is always a good thing.
Now let’s drive expansions in other areas from Dardanelle to Monticello.