Building an Emotionally Healthy Montgomery County, MD
A Mental Health System Transformation Conference, May 15 & 16, 2009
University Systems of Maryland, Shady Grove Campus, Rockville, MD.
May 16, 2009
By Tami Houts, Research Coordinator
“Building an Emotionally Healthy Montgomery County” was the theme of the Mental Health System Transformation Conference held at the University Systems of Maryland Shady Grove campus in Rockville, MD on May 15 & 16.
Professionals, families, and youth from across the county and surrounding communities, came to advocate and speak regarding mental health issues and what is being done nationally to help close the gaps and barriers families face when navigating between systems of care.
“Four (4) million children in this country alone have a mental health need.” A shocking statistic revealed by keynote speaker, Dr. Gary Blau, Clinical Psychologist and Chief of the Child , Adolescent and Family Branch of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). “Of those four million children, many have a dual diagnosis.”
Cultural competency is also a growing concern among the clinical professionals in the field of Psychology. “There just aren’t enough bi-lingual psychologists to fill the demand for those whose first language is not English.”, answered by Sergio Bauza, Senior Research Nurse at the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in response to a question asked during a Multicultural Mental Health & Wellness Roundtable discussion.
Diagnosing mental health is not as easy as going to the doctor for a common cold. Making a careful and thorough diagnosis in the mental health field is quite different. Testing can take several visits with mental health professionals, becoming time consuming, stressful and very expensive, very quickly. With lack of health coverage and some services not covered by insurance, you can imagine how frustrating it can be for families in need.
Many families find they do not meet certain criteria for some services and are rejected because they do not “qualify” for the service and support they need. Some families discover they earn either too much or too little income. Some families do not realize services are available to them, and other families fear the stigma of revealing a mental health challenge. Within their culture, they risk being considered “crazy”, shunned and ridiculed by family and friends.
As we continue to work collaboratively with agencies, the more we learn what the best and most promising practices are that deliver results for families in need. The research to find new approaches can take years of effort, and alternative based and combined practices are slowly finding their way into everyday use.
Dr. Linda Song, Psychologist of East-West Services, Happiness University, has been teaching and practicing the use of traditional eastern medicine philosophies with modern western approaches, and treating her clients with outstanding results. “Combining east and west philosophies and wisdom, I am able to guide the client seeing their life from different perspectives. With systematic and cognitive-behavior therapy styles, I emphasize the procedure of "learning to be better", believing that Happiness comes from learning new skill and new vision and well-preparation.”
While alternative approaches to treat mental health are not new, they are certainly gaining more attention and popularity to those who have a mental health challenge and all else seems to fail.
Does this mean that the practices we have now are not working? No, it tells us that each person has individual needs and responds best to different approaches and therapies. It just simply means we have more resources to work with and offer to families.
Mental health care is growing in Montgomery County, more services being offered and provided as we learn more techniques and methods and put them into practice. We are building an emotionally healthy Montgomery County, and efforts will not stop as long as families are in need.
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