Recent events such as superstorm Sandy and the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., have brought the subject of mental health care to the forefront. Unfortunately, the focus on mental health care and mental wellness usually only occurs after highly visible tragic events.
The fact is that while behavioral health treatment needs (mental health and addictions) have steadily grown, services and programs to serve this population have not.
As the CEO of CPC Behavioral Healthcare, I can tell you that we have seen a steady increase in the number of people who have come to us for assistance, with our last fiscal year totaling 8,339 people.
Thisrepresentedabouta7percent increase over the previous year and the last few years have all seen increases from 4 to 7 percent.
The increases are not limited to CPC, as other area providers report similar increases. In fact, the demand for services results in waiting lists for people to be seen.
With all the sources that fund organizations like CPC, both government and private, feeling the financial strain of the times, sometimes it seems like the importance of funding these organizations is being shuffled to the back of the pack.
But the fact is that organizations like CPC are here all the time for the community and not just in times of natural or man-made disasters.
I know that many agencies and organizations, along with CPC, would like to do more if they had the means. Early intervention and detection of mental illness is extremely important and could potentially head off problems down the line for some people, but not enough is being done in this area because of the cost.
Overcoming the stigma of seeking help for any emotional, mental or addiction episode is difficult enough and much has been done to overcome that barrier, but we must ensure that access to those who seek it is not hindered.
In the long run, it is in everyone’s best interests to invest in a solid, available system of care for behavioral and emotional health care.
John Mans
President and CEO
CPC Behavioral Healthcare
Eatontown