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Simonne Maline is the executive director of the Consumer Council of Maine. She readily identifies as a person who lives with mental health challenges (as are all staff and members). The Consumer Council System of Maine (CCSM) was established in state statute in 2008 for people who have lived experience with mental health challenges to be able to articulate a meaningful voice in addressing Maine’s mental health system of care.
Open any paper, listen to any television, or radio news – inevitably there is a story about the lack of community mental health services and the profound toll it is taking on thousands of individuals. The strain on healthcare systems, social services, our law enforcement, and jails, emergency responders and our hospital emergency rooms are undeniable, as they all contend with the consequences of untreated mental health challenges. The cycle perpetuates itself, with insufficient resources allocated to mental health services, exacerbating the crises.
On the positive side, it is great that this is getting attention, after decades of being a silent pandemic that has often gone unnoticed. The lack of adequate mental health services exacts a profound toll on individuals, families, and communities, leaving scars that are not always visible but are deeply felt. According to a recent point-in-time survey, 8,913 Mainers right now are waiting 32 weeks for mental health counseling, and 2,849 Mainers are waiting an average of 33 weeks for psychiatric medication assessment.
Behind the statistics lie stories of individual suffering. Every day, thousands of our Maine neighbors, family members and friends grapple with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions, but access to timely and effective treatment remains elusive for many. The human toll is intolerable.
Right now, a 30-year-old gentleman in the Portland area is on a waiting list for a case manager that he desperately needs to remain living independently in his community. That’s because even in Portland there is a wait of several months to find a provider. So, he sits on a waiting list, unable to get this basic service that will help him access and coordinate other necessary services.
A 25-year-old woman in York County finally decided she needed support and is now waiting for outpatient talk therapy. The average wait time is six months or more for self-referral. When people in need must wait this long for support and help, they will more than likely end up in crisis or the hospital, costing all of us and continuing to strain the system.
A 65-year-old male in Androscoggin County is receiving medication management that stabilizes his condition and allows him to remain independent and productive. Already, he must travel an hour to his provider’s office. He’s currently being forced to telehealth services that do not meet his communication needs. He now must jump through many hoops to get his medications sustained until they fit him in, months down the road.
These stories are about basic services, relatively “low level” services that allow people to stay active in their communities and workplaces. If we were to look at more specialized services — residential care, in-home support, housing and wrap-around services for example — the situation is even more dire.
So, as we talk about workforce shortages, the chronic underfunding of our mental health system, we need to inject a sense of urgency. Our response must meet the moment we are in.
The level of need is far outpacing the current modest investment in fixing the system. And here’s the thing, the state has the money. But instead of funding these badly needed services, the Mills administration has proposed the creation of a new place to put “savings.” Yes, you read that correctly. By law, there’s a limit to how much cash can be stuffed into the so-called “rainy day fund.” Maine has reached the limit so the proposal is to create a new mini rainy-day fund. Surely, we can all agree that when it comes to Mainer’s mental health needs it’s pouring, and aid is needed now.
There is a package of bills already passed and just waiting for funding that would go a long way to meet this moment. We have a moral imperative to confront this crisis head-on, ensuring that no one is left behind in the struggle for mental well-being.
Please, just do it.
