Fetterman being leader by publicizing depression
John Fetterman’s public acknowledgement that he suffers from depression and needs professional treatment could be his most significant accomplishment as a U.S. senator.
He knows people are paying attention to him because of his position. So he is telling the world it’s OK to admit when you need help. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Eliminating the stigma about mental health is a big challenge.
After Fetterman’s announcement Thursday, there was a bipartisan chorus of well wishers who said they are behind him. His supporters in government in Washington and Pennsylvania need to do more than wish him well. They need to make sure every American has access to the same treatment Fetterman is receiving.
Fetterman is getting top-notch care because of who he is. He has immediate access to medical services because Congress has an attending physician. Emergency medical care is free.
And for a nominal annual fee, senators and representatives can get routine exams, consultations and services including X-rays, electrocardiographic services and physical therapy. The cost of those services was a mere $646.32 last year. That’s peanuts for a senator making $174,000 a year. The average Joe would pay much, much more, and probably have to wait to get an appointment.
Because he is a senator, Fetterman also has access to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he checked in Wednesday night.
Too many common folks don’t seek the help they need because they fear the cost or because they don’t have immediate access to care. That not only hurts them but can result in others being hurt, too.
Last week, a man having
what authorities described as a “mental health crisis” shot two police officers in suburban Pittsburgh. One officer died.
The shooter was identified by authorities as a military veteran whose mother said he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
Seven percent of veterans will suffer from PTSD, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. And it may surprise you to learn the VA estimates that 6% of civilian adults will, too.
Too many people don’t recognize they need assistance with their mental health. They try to tough it out on their own. In those cases, it is up to their loved ones to get help for them.
Mental health still isn’t getting sufficient attention from the
people who can make a difference, such as the Pennsylvania Legislature.
They talked big last year, but did little.
The state budget that lawmakers approved last summer included an additional $100 million for mental health services. Not a penny has been spent, though, because lawmakers haven’t allocated it yet.
In October, the state’s Behavioral Health Commission for Mental Health recommended how the money could be used: on new 24-hour crisis centers and telehealth services; to retain and recruit health care professionals; and to expand programs that divert people to treatment instead of jail.
The Legislature adjourned for
the year without acting on those recommendations.
The failure of the state House to get to work two months into the new year has kept that money from being spent.
There have been positive developments in mental health services.
Last year, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was simplified to 988, to make it easier to remember and easier to call. The hotline previously was a 10-digit number, 1-800-273-8255 (which is still operating).
In August, its first full month of operation, the 988 line answered 152,000 more calls, text messages and online chats than the previous hotline did the previous August. That’s a great sign — and one that sadly illustrates how much need there is.
The hotline also can be reached by texting to 988 or through an online chat at 988lifeline.org. It is open 24 hours a day, every day. It is staffed by counselors from a network of more than 200 locally operated crisis centers around the country.
The hotline provides assistance to people who are having thoughts of suicide, who are suffering from a mental health or emotional crisis or a substance abuse crisis.
If you need help, follow Fetterman’s lead and seek assistance.