Breaking the barriers to mental healthcare: EBR initiative to launch this year

by: Zach Labbe

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Everyone struggles with their mental health at some point in their lives, but barriers often prevent people from getting the help they need. 

According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but more than half of those people with a mental health condition did not receive any treatment in the last year. Many groups, like NAMI, are working towards removing the barriers to mental health care.

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Everyone struggles with their mental health at some point in their lives, but barriers often prevent people from getting the help they need. 

According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but more than half of those people with a mental health condition did not receive any treatment in the last year. Many groups, like NAMI, are working towards removing the barriers to mental health care.

“Breaking the barriers means that people who are predisposed to mental health conditions, or are already vulnerable in our communities are going to be able to receive adequate mental health support,” says Advocacy and State Program Director for NAMI Louisiana Tatiana Gonzalez. 

“Baton Rouge has come a long way with addressing the barriers to mental health care,” says Gonzalez, but there is still more work to do. 

BRProud’s Zach Labbé sat down with Wren Hyatt, who spoke candidly about their experience managing their mental health. Hyatt attempted suicide at the age of 14 and has been battling some of those barriers to treatment since.

Reflecting on a more recent stay in a mental health facility, Hyatt says, “I wasn’t worried about how it was going to be treated… I was worried about the money, and that really sucks.”

The cost of care is a common barrier that stops many from seeking help. NAMI Louisiana cites that of the 194,000 adults in Louisiana who did not receive needed mental health care, 48.1% did not because of cost. 

“Sometimes your insurance might not cover it or that even if it does, it’s not just not as affordable,” says Founder of the You Aren’t Alone Project Chelsea Borruano. She said with 8.9% of people in the state uninsured the cost is pretty substantial.

Watch the full story here.