Essay On Affordable Mental Health Care

For those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, access to affordable mental healthcare is limited (HHS Office of the Secretary). The closure of mental health institutions in the state reduces accessibility and makes it more difficult to obtain prompt and worthwhile care. The limited number of urban mental health institutions due to closure would not be problematic if there were limited numbers of mentally ill homeless. In a study of 78 homeless, however, “At least 40% had [a] major mental illness of psychotic proportions” (Bassuk, 1547). In Detroit alone there are 21,000 homeless, 40% of that is 8400 (Rose). An untreated mental illness is stated as the third largest cause and perpetuator of homelessness (Mental Illness and Homelessness). A lack of affordable mental health care makes the treatment of a mental illness nearly impossible for someone who is homeless or at risk and has a minimal income. The ability to afford mental healthcare is only the first barrier for homeless people. Their minimal income not only blocks the ability to pay for the healthcare but also getting to an institution. The absence of mobility diminishes the number of viable institutions. Together this makes getting effective and consistent care very difficult, no wonder 40% of homeless people still have

This legislature is a policy based on taxing and spending (Kraft and Furlong 135). This piece of legislation taxes those without healthcare and offers healthcare, the cost is based on income, through state run programs or Secretary run programs. The program is run by each individual state and the start of each program performed differently, but there are now 19 million individuals who are insured directly under the ACA (Mangan). Obamacare also improved the coverage of Americans who were already insured (Affordable Care Act