Mental Health

Published on: March 15, 2023

Inmate Population Most Underserved for Healthcare

Mass incarceration takes its toll on the health of inmates and former inmates. At any one time in this country more than 6.9 million people are on probation, in jail, in prison or on parole. Each year more than 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons. Roughly 1 in 28 children has a parent behind bars.

Recently, Supreme Court Justice Michael Boggs reported on the state of the Judiciary . Currently state-wide in Georgia one in 33 adults is behind bars. Since 1980 in Georgia the number of people going to jail has tripled, and the length of the sentence has increased by 160%. Twenty five percent of these inmates enter with mental health issues. Mental health inmates tend to stay 4-8 times longer in jail and at seven times the cost. They are 10 times more likely to be incarcerated than hospitalized and 19 times more likely to find a bed in the criminal justice system than in a state hospital.

The intersection of mental health and law enforcement creates a situation where more mental health care occurs in jails and prisons than in state-wide treatment facilities, taxing the law enforcement community and underserving those with mental health impairments as their primary condition.

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Published on: January 18, 2023

GEORGIA CONTINUES TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

By Lisa Siegel

In honor of Mental Wellness Month in January, Georgia has made positive improvements in access to care.

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) hosts a crisis line 24/7 at 1 800 715 4225. House Bill 9 will continue to maintain the access line through the DBHDD. The purpose of the DBHDD is to assist Georgians with diagnosed mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorder. They can assist with assessment and recovery planning, physician and nursing services, community resources and therapy.

Last year the Georgia legislature passed the Mental Health Parity Act which expanded access to affordable mental health treatment across the state. The Act required that all health insurance plans must cover mental health conditions the same as physical conditions; and that patient can no longer be denied medically necessary treatment. The Act provided for training for law enforcement in mental health and established loan forgiveness to encourage students to become mental health professionals. This bill passage was the primary legislative goal of House Speaker David Ralston who died in November 2022.

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Published on: October 31, 2019

MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS AND SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Lisa Siegel

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On October 10, the world marked Mental Health Awareness Day to raise awareness about the different types of mental conditions, many of which go undiagnosed for years. If you suffer from a mental health condition, you may be eligible for disability benefits under the Social Security Disability program.

Mental disorders most typically involved in disability claims are bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Other intellectual disabilities involve cognitive impairment that may also be covered under the term “mental health disorders.” These conditions include schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and low IQ—related disorders.

Some conditions like Alzheimer’s, low IQ-related disorders and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are mentioned in the listing for mental impairments that may qualify for disability benefits. However, merely a diagnosis from your psychiatrist will not be sufficient to prove that your disability makes it difficult for you to earn an income, and qualifies you for benefits.

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Published on: May 28, 2019

MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS

By Lisa Siegel

For close to 7 decades, mental health organizations across the United States have commemorated the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to decreasing the stigma associated with mental conditions and spreading awareness about the need for treatment for persons suffering from these disorders.

It is important for family members and caregivers of persons with mental health disorders to know more about the person’s eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration pays out benefits to millions of persons who suffer from mental disabilities every year. Out of the 8 million persons who receive Social Security disability benefits every year, as many as a quarter receive benefits based on their mental disorder.

Most beneficiaries who receive benefits for mental disorders are above the age of 50, but you can definitely qualify for benefits even if you are younger. Depression and anxiety-related disorders are some of the common conditions that qualify a person to receive Social Security disability benefits. Beneficiaries may also suffer from PTSD or other mental or intellectual challenges.

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Published on: January 7, 2019

WHAT MENTAL DISORDERS QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS?

By Lisa Siegel

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes the impact mental disorders have on many American’s lives and their potential to cause long-term disability. In order to be eligible for disability benefits for a mental disorder, the condition must be diagnosed by a doctor and meet the criteria required for any disability including:

The mental disorder must prevent you from doing any work which you have done until now.
The disorder must make you unable to reasonably train for another job.

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Published on: December 7, 2018

GEORGIA EARNS D FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION TREATMENT

By Lisa Siegel

In a recent report by the Kennedy-Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity, Georgia earned a “D” on mental health and addiction treatment equal to that for physical health. This corresponded to a score of 60/100, an evaluation based on Georgia’s statues that ensure equality of physical and mental health treatment. The report stated that more than 1 in 6 Georgians have a mental illness, and nearly 1 in 5 of these individuals is uninsured. Recent data shows that there are on average 4 drug overdoses every day in Georgia. Many people suffering from mental health issues are denied care when they need it the most. Neil Campbell, executive director of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse, emphasized that there is a “need for the quality and amount of coverage that is afforded physical health conditions.”

The report recommends that patient co-pays and out-of-pocket costs be adjusted to be equal for mental and addiction services as for physical illnesses. It emphasizes that greater access to recovery for mental health and addiction issues will save insurance companies in the long run, because those with their substance problems under control live healthier lives. A decade after the passing of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a federal law which mandated equity in care for those with mental health issues, there is still much work to be done.

If you are suffering from a mental health condition that impairs you from working, contact this law firm about filing a Social Security disability claim.

Published on: April 20, 2017

Disabled Children at Higher Risk of Abuse and Neglect

By Lisa Siegel

Children who suffer from a mental or physical disability may be at a much higher risk of suffering from abuse or neglect.

Those are the results of a new study that yielded disturbing findings. According to the study, children who suffer from mental or behavioral disorders have a heightened risk of abuse, and those risks differ depending on the type of disorder from which the child suffers.

Researchers found that children who suffer from autism, spina bifida, and Down syndrome, are not at a high risk of abuse, but those who suffer from intellectual disabilities or mental/behavioral disorders such as depression and developmental delays are much more likely to experience abuse or neglect. Moreover, children whose parents lack support to deal with their child’s disability, or are overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for a disabled child, are much more likely to suffer from neglect.

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Published on: October 20, 2015

Physiological and Psychological Therapy Beneficial for Back Pain

By Lisa Siegel

A combination of physiological and psychological treatment has been found to be very beneficial in the treatment of back pain. According to researchers, Contextual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy releases psychological stress in persons who suffer from chronic back pain, and that helps make their physiological treatment much more effective.

According to the researchers, doctors who use this therapy will be able to help reduce back pain in patients, and also reduce the cost of treatment. Many back pain patients suffer from stress, and also may turn fear-avoidant, a mindset in which they fear taking part in any kind of activity because they are afraid that their back pain will get worse. For such people, finding an effective back pain treatment is very important and also very challenging.

The researchers conducted a pilot study in which they combined physical as well as psychological approaches to treating the problem, and found that chronic back pain could be treated more effectively with a combination of these approaches. Persons who participated in Contextual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy found it was beneficial in treating their back pain.

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Published on: February 23, 2015

Does My Bipolar Disorder Make Me Eligible for Disability Benefits?

By Lisa Siegel

Bipolar disorder , also known as manic-depressive, is a mood disorder, and like other mood disorders, can be difficult to diagnose. In fact, early symptoms of bipolar are often attributed to general moodiness or tiredness. Unfortunately, those issues to tend to lead to more problematic conditions if left undiagnosed and untreated.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania and depression. An individual who suffers from bipolar disorder goes through phases of mania, in which he may completely lose touch with reality, followed immediately by episodes of extreme depression. The person may also find it difficult to complete tasks, and may start several projects, only to leave them incomplete. During the mania phase, a person with bipolar disorder may speak very rapidly, and for long periods of time. They often also jump from topic to topic.

Depression sets in during the low phases of bipolar disorder. The person may suffer from problems that include loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and low energy levels. He or she may also feel very irritable.

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Published on: September 8, 2014

Scientists Uncover Genes for Bipolar Disorder

By Lisa Siegel

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive, is a chronic mental illness, which is believed to affect as many as 1.6% of the general American population. There is much that we do not know about this difficult psychiatric condition.

For years, scientists have been researching whether a person’s genes could play a contributing factor in the development of bipolar disorder. German researchers recently said that they have managed to identify unique genes that could possibly contribute to the condition.

According to the researchers, it seems that a variety of genes are involved in the development of bipolar disorder, and it’s not just one specific gene that causes the development of the condition. These genes interact with environmental factors in a complex manner to cause symptoms of the condition. A person who suffers from bipolar disorder often suffers from alternate spells of mania and depression, or highs and lows. He may suffer from sleeplessness, insomnia, irritability, and may engage in risky behaviors involving alcohol, drug and sex.

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