(Oct. 17, 2014) People with serious mental illness are often rendered invisible, writes Liza Long in the Idaho Statesman (“Guest Opinion: Ignoring the mentally ill won’t make them go away,” Oct. 10). 
Long drew her observations after speaking with members of her community who live with severe mental illness at a lunch in her hometown of Boise, Idaho.
“They just want to sweep us under the rug. We are invisible. People want to pretend we don’t exist,” said David who spoke up about his struggles. Another attendee said he could barely afford the cost of medications he needs to manage his mental illness.
Stories like these highlight the destitution the most severely ill often face, frequently further complicated by insurance issues.
A large majority of people with severe mental illness are underinsured, covered by Medicaid or not insured at all.
Medicaid is now the single largest payer of mental health care in the United States, and psychiatrists, including those in community-based hospitals and clinics, academic medical centers, and private practice, play a central role in treating Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental illness.
“Medicaid expansion would go a long way to helping adults who have mental illness,” Long said. But in states choosing not to expand Medicaid, things will likely only get worse for people with SMI.
Idaho, which has chosen to reject the expansion, will likely see a substantial loss of funding for state hospitals and additional psychiatric bed loss.
The flip side of rejection could mean more people in psychiatric crisis will fill emergency departments, end up in jail or prison or among the homeless population.
“Mental illness is not a personal choice or a character flaw,” wrote Long.
Our public policies need to reflect that.
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