The Importance Of Mental Health Care

Today, the amount of coverage and treatment that mentally ill individuals are provided with may depend on what type of insurance they have. However, as shown above, there is a variation in the amount of coverage for mental health services as opposed to physical health services (McLaughlin, 2004). There are many reasons why private and public health care programs have claimed for providing inadequate insurance coverage for mental versus physical health, including claiming that "… that mental health care is costlier and less efficacious than physical health care," (Tovino, 2012). This, however, completely ignores the differences between mental and physical health care and needs. Mental health care is certainly viewed in a more positive light today than in previous years, however, poor insurance coverages show that many do not take it as seriously as they must. Often, those who are most in need of mental health care tend to be the ones that receive the least amount of benefits from insurance companies and the federal government. Although mental health care is much more accessible today than it was in the past, there remain problems for those who suffer from mental illness and do not have the money, or insurance, to afford the care they need. This is a social welfare problem because many people who

However, there is still a long way to go before all individuals within the country will have equal access to mental health care. Looking at the research referenced above, it is clear that there are major discrepancies in access to mental health for individuals with low income, certain illnesses and conditions, minorities, and the unemployed. As mental health access and insurance continues to expand and progress, advocacy measures should be taken to ensure that the individuals mentioned above gain access to the care that they