MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Alabama is in the middle of a mental health crisis. Young people today are more anxious, lonely and depressed than any generation before them.
“Youth mental health issues are, frankly, out of control,” said Kim Boswell, Alabama’s mental health commissioner.
Boswell says many of the mental health challenges we face are the result of the way we live. He points to a change in our behavior, from the old habit of interacting with others to a new habit of isolation. Children in the past played outside with friends. Children now spend more time alone, often with their smart devices. One study says that children spend about nine hours a day in front of a screen.
“We know in our field that connection is one of the most important things when it comes to mental health,” Boswell says. However, we know that we have an epidemic of loneliness in our society.
And sometimes loneliness can lead to disaster. Students with mental health problems sometimes act out violently, harming themselves or others.
Since 2004, when smartphones became ubiquitous, the number of girls seen in emergency rooms for self-harm has increased by 188%. The number of boys treated has increased by 48%. Doctors report a sharp rise in the number of cases of anxiety and depression as well.
Boswell offered this advice:
“The most important thing I tell patients is, ‘put the phones down.’ It’s for kids and parents. Go out and do things with your kids. Connect with your friends.”
To complicate matters, the diagnosis of mental health in children sometimes comes with co-existing conditions, which can complicate treatment. For example, Boswell says that children with mental illness can also have autism or mental retardation.
“And trying to help someone with all these things is difficult,” he said.
But Alabama is making progress in improving its mental health system. In recent years, the federal legislature and mental health department have made revolutionary changes.
In the past, patients who called 911 with mental health problems were taken to a hospital emergency room or jail. No other place offered the treatment they needed. Patients now have access to one of six mental health centers around the country, located in Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa.
The mental health department also has community centers around the country, which offer non-emergency treatment. All facilities are available to patients whether they have health insurance or not.
“The commitment from the governor and the legislature to fund these services is unprecedented across the nation,” Boswell said.
For more information on how to navigate the system, patients can call 988. The three-digit phone number provides access to all types of resources. Staff can help with almost any request, from a desperate call for emergency assistance to a simple question about public utilities.
“In 988, they can find our crisis management system,” Boswell explained. “Or if they just need that patient appointment, or they just need to know where the local AA or Al-Anon meeting is.”
Some recent changes in Alabama affect mental health care in our schools. To better address the needs of students, many school systems in the district now employ mental health service coordinators. And in some schools, students now have access to professional therapists, in addition to traditional guidance counselors.
“That started because of the school shooting,” Boswell said.
There are mental health counselors now for Alabama’s pre-kindergarten program. They may be called into the classroom to see if a child’s misbehavior is a sign of a more serious problem.
Although much has been achieved in the government’s mental health care system, there are still areas that need improvement. Increasing the number of school resource officers in Alabama and expanding mental health care systems in rural areas are two challenges for the future.
We’ll explore those challenges and more as we launch a new reporting series on WSFA 12 News. ‘Under Pressure: Pressed by Alabama’ will provide insight and advice on a range of topics, from suicide and mental health to substance abuse and workplace stress. We will post our stories in the coming weeks on this special section on our website.
And don’t forget, if you or someone you know needs mental health advice or treatment, just call 988.
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