Healthcare Reform Case Study

In Chicago, 35 to 40 percent of children are likely to screen positive for behavioral/mental health risk developing according to current screenings. Additionally the crime rate and gang activity in the youth population has reached the highest point in the last 20 years. This upsetting statistic can be linked to deteriorating quality of mental healthcare in Illinois. The two are directly related to one another because the adoleneces brought up in a heavyly affected crime area have little to no access to mental healthcare. As of a fact the state of Illinios closed down 6 of chicago's ental health care facilities in 2012 to consolodilate care and the balance of the budget. The quality of mental healthcare is not a reflection of that of the United
States as a whole. Some states rank higher while others are lower than Illinois for example Massachusetts is ranked very high and Texas is rated lower than Illinois. This is possible because of the shared legislative power between the state and fed gov over the mental healthcare quality. Despite the benefits to having decentralized government, this has caused unstable environment for the mental health patients. As suggested byMental Health America (MHA), I proporse a decrease in the states authority to tailor their mental healthcare structure. Also I point out that here is need to create a comprehensive mental health care policy.
In order to really amend mental healthcare in Illinois the budget must undergo large reconstruction as well as an in depth review. State legislature that represents mental healthcare must be held accountable to proved detailed summaries of budget spending for mental healthcare. To amend the situation short and long term actions need to be taken towards fixing Illinois budget and giving federal power over the state. The state of Illinois has been far from transparent in terms of detailing its budget distribution. The Department of Human Services (DHS)Governor did not reieceve a clear summary from Gov Rauner detailing the specifics about where he would spend money. (CITE) .Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois codemended Gov. Rauners lack of transpacny. CBHAI is a statewide association of mental health, substance abuse and youth service providers. Marvin Lindsey, CEO of CBHAI said “The epic political standoff between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic lawmakers has left the state without a full budget since last July. As a result, the state's mental health service infrastructure "is being destroyed" To save illinois finacial fallout and others states in simialr comdition, legislation all elected officials must truly step up and do their part in terms of adequate budgeting and allocation of money. In combination with proper delegation of legislative duties the Stopgap bill has been approved and needs to continue reform spending. This money continues to serve mental healthcare facilities and aid people that need help with mental illnesses. Stopgap continues to aid mental healthcare issues in Illinois post budget issues and needs to continue to increase help mental healthcare. Stopgap's goal is to dedicate spending to neglected facilities and programs that truly need aid. These programs and facilities have been down or neglected for over 11 months causing many devastating affects on the mental health community. Not only are those being affected but people who are individually receiving money from the state are no longer getting enough funding to even buy general necessities. “Mental health advocates say the state budget impasse is having a "devastating" impact on services and pushing state psychiatric facilities to the point where they can't afford basic necessities like toilet paper.” (http://www.progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2016/05/19/mental-health-advocates-rally-chicago-state-budget) Mental Healthcare providers need more than just Stopgap funding. The neglect has been ongoing for so long that it is hard to make a comeback and help that many people need. Stopgap is aiming at truly “stopping the gaps” in the funding. $700 million dollars has been awarded to mental health legislature recently but the money sits unapproved still and is waitng for action by Bruce Rauner. Stopgap's continuing stress on mental healthcare can truly help with such large issues in mental health. It serves as a reminder that people do need help, and the state government needs to step up and aid people. This in combination with a few other state fixes can definitely help elimate problems. The scope of coverage and benchmark plans must be defined from now as well as redefing mental illness as a whole. Setting better criteria to evaluate mental illness will prevent from people's issues going unnoticed and under the radar. Mental healthcare reform is supported and opposed by many people. Not everybody sees eye to eye in terms of this pressing issue. In unison with the legislative supporters and groups comes protesters and people being very vocal with support. On the other hand many people believe mental healthcare is fine the way it is. The opposers to Stopgap and mental healthcare reform too have been vocal. Supporting mental healthcare issues brings many groups of people who are fighting for this change. The National Alliance of Mental Illnesss is a national group that addresses and helps mental healthcare issues and are complete support of having Illinios fix and update their budget and polices. In combination with that group comes the Substance Abuse and Mental Healthcare Services Administration as well as the US Department of Health and Human Services. Individually Micheal Gelder, a senior advisor at the Illinois Department of Public Health also supports the efforts to help Illinois mental healthcare. The Stopgap issue really can continue to help mental healthcare issues. The general public needs to make themselves heard by speaking to and interacting with state legislature and leaders to let them continue the aid and overall increase it. By people reaching out the state will see it more and more of an pressing issue that needs to be addressed more seriously. Yes Stopgap has helped but more can always be done. To maximize the officency of Stopgap I believe the federal government should have full control over this bill.
This will allow for all the bidget reforms to be done on a larger scale and avoid situations such as Illinois from every occurring again. IIn order to implement the the long term plan of increasing the Federal influence and limiting that of the State, we must first address and convince mainly the Supreme Court and republican States. Similarly to when the Supreme Court judged mandating the expansion of medicare as non constitutional and instead made it optional. For similar reasons, Republican States might appose this reform. However, one could argue that the current structure is also non constitutional as it has increased disparities and decreased parities in mental care. Additionally, the constitution states “ensure domestic Tranquility,” and many studies suggest a strong correlation between violence and mental health (CITE), Meaning, the current structure appear actually go against the constitutions. In terms of parties that approve this reformation we have several advocacy groups such as the National Alliance on Mental Illnesses, the Substance Abuse and mental Health Services Administrations as well as other politicians such as Micheal Gelder, Senior Advisor at the Illinois Department of Public Health and Mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. Garcia commended Gov Rauners “draconian cuts” and called for the cuts to be mediated. If these supporters put their full combined effort together, a change may finally be implemented to further develop an effective comprehensive mental
healthcare.