Professional Issues that Affect Clinical Mental Health Counselors One of the biggest issues if the desire is to practice with any kind of medical scope, Medicare will pay a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in many cases, more than they will pay any Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and in some cases they will not pay an LPC at all. Many LPC’s are able to practice under the umbrella of community mental health agencies and in that aspect, they are able to take Medicaid for payment. However, once licensure is complete, many states will not bill for mental health services to a private LPC practitioner under Medicaid services (Sturm and Gibson, 2012). There is a gross discrimination here that often leaves the poorest and those most …show more content…
Sometimes I work with people who are just coming out of inpatient programs, and those who are transitioning back to living life locally from out of state situations (Dumesnil, 2014). It is imperative that clinicians not only know when to refer clients out, but to have an arsenal of contacts from which to refer. Additionally, it is good practice to be aware of the differences that arise when working with clients who come to you with substance issues from other states. Colorado has very specific laws and there may be times when an Interstate Compact is appropriate to use. Interstate compacts effect counselors because they are used with adult supervised offenders, juveniles and placing children into foster or adoptive homes (CSG.org), and people in these positions are often required to participate in counseling. The compact is essentially a contract between two (or more) states that enables states to work together for the purposes of resolving disputes, addressing transitional problems and meet differing court …show more content…
There are many services that Medicaid/ Medicare will not pay for, and clinicians need to be cognizant of what they are so they are better able to make the decisions to take insurances like these. Medicaid may not even bill-able just because you hold an LPC (Sturm & Gibson, 2012), especially if you are not employed by a community mental health facility. Some insurance companies want the diagnoses done immediately, I do not like to work like that (Dumesnil, 2014). There are cases where clients will push for a diagnoses that insurance will pay for, but you just can not diagnose like that. This can be like a block for the clients to get the help they need. Because insurance like Medicaid often wants these immediate diagnoses, and they tend not to pay for services from private practice LPC’s, the less financially privileged clients are sent off to community agencies that is potentially staffed by interns and less qualified counselors (Sturm & Gibson,
Not surprisingly, low reimbursement rates are one of the reasons for this. Medicaid pays less of what Medicare would pay, nationally, for outpatient physician services. The payment rate varies from state to state, of course. Reimbursement rates are not the only issue when it comes to Medicaid patients. Extended waiting times to receive reimbursement from their state Medicaid programs and increasingly complex paperwork add to the list of physician complaints.
Although medical social workers have always played a role in helping loved ones adjust to significant illness in a family member and in securing needed resources to pay for medical care (Furstenberg & Olson, 1984), a new role for mental health professionals in the care of those afflicted with disease has emerged. D...
It is important counselors provide the most effective treatment, especially with interventions and techniques, through empirical evidence of efficacy of counseling. It is the responsibility of counselors to integrate research and practice of intervention selected coincides with standards of care. In Washington State, regional support networks are established to determine membersh...
It is a privilege to interview veteran therapists who are exiting the counseling arena after a long career in the profession. I was honored to shadow Lea Keylon, a seasoned counselor, who on the eve of retirement set aside time for a student interview. The enlightening interview opened my understanding to the importance of proper diagnostic coding for insurance reimbursements, the financial struggles of private practice, and the poignant effect of forensic counseling on therapist (L. Keylon, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Lea was eager to share her counseling accounts; however, the excitement of retirement planning could be seen in her demeanor. Private practice requires self-discipline, constant research for legislative changes, peer support and consultation, time management, tenacity, and patience. The encounter with Lea impressed the importance to surround myself with colleagues that are enthusiastic about learning and continuing education opportunities, to hire assistance for time-consuming administrative task, and adequately assess a proper caseload that will sustain my counseling practice and without avoid counselor burn out (L. Keylon, personal communication, March 26, 2010).
My interest in pursuing a doctorate degree in counseling psychology has been influenced by a combination of life experiences and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Though the path which has led me to this destination is complex, the journey has provided me with the clarity and insight necessary to understand human behavior from a holistic perspective. As I approach the completion of my masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I am faced with the unsettling realization that I have more questions than I do answers. This has fueled my innate desire and motivation to continue challenging myself by attaining a doctorate degree from the University of North Texas.
When relating mental health policies and children living in poverty, the availability of financial coverage for mental health illness is usually a barrier to care. Studies have proven that poor family access to mental health care is because of health policies that do not support access. For example, in a study done by Gyamfi, he points out that “despite receipt of Medicaid and SSI, poor families received fewer services in general. He pointed out that, although it is easier to participate in Medicaid than SSI due to eligibility criteria, it has been well documented that as welfare caseloads decline, so does enrollment in Medicaid, which in consequent means that many people are losing health insurance and not receiving services”. Therefore, state action expanding insurance coverage for low income children and families can lead directly to increased service access (Behrens, et al. 2013). An example of this is implemented in Massachusetts, where the children’s behavioral health initiative, a component of MassHealth, requires primary care providers to offer standardized behavioral health screens at well child visits. However, it is still unknown how many are identified as needing follow up services (Behrens, et al. 2013). It is clear across the board that policy implications include the need for expansion of health insurance coverage for all children and the need to achieve parity for mental health benefits in private health insurance, regardless of family income (DeRigne, 2010). However, parents of children with long-term emotional or behavioral conditions often struggle to access and afford mental health services for their children (DeRigne, 2010). In his article DeRigne (2010) pointed out an interesting fact, “that when a child has ...
Stroul, B. A., Pires, S. A., Armstrong, M. I., & Meyers, J. C. (1998). The impact of managed care on mental health services for children and their families. Future of Children, 8, 119-133.
Mental health counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health. They are trained to address a wide range of issues, including depression, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress management, problems with self-esteem, issues associated with aging, job and career concerns, educational decisions, issues related to mental and emotional health, and family, parenting, and marital or other relationship problems. Mental health counselors often work closely with other mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and school counselors. (US Department of Labor)
The NH Community Behavioral Health Association is an organization composed of ten mental health centers that serve individuals who are living with or recovering from a mental illness or emotional disorder. Their goal is to increase awareness about the crucial role played by the mental health centers to ensure public safety and health (“Who We Are“). They strongly support Medicaid expansion for three main reasons. The first is it will help improve the access to receive substance-abuse treatment and mental health care. Second, it will help face the issues of parity. Third, it will help maintain New Hampshire’s community-based mental health system (Leubsdorf). The American Association of Retired Persons primary goal is to prevent spen...
Many people face obstacles every day of their lives, but when it comes to getting assistance around these obstacles many people do not have a way to do that. A client for human services will put up their own barriers to avoid having to deal with asking for assistance and until they work through some of those barriers they are not going to be able to get the assistance they need. Some of the barriers that they face include not having money to pay for the services, not having transportation to get to the place where the services are provided, and not having time to be able to travel to receive the services (Woodside & McClam, 2015). Clients in the United States are not the only ones facing these barriers it is happening worldwide
Funding for mental health care comes from various sources. States typically derive the larger amount of their funds from Medicaid and state general funds that are administered by state mental health authorities. In 2007, 46% of funding was through Medicaid, and 40% of funding was through state general funds (Honberg et al. 2). Overall, states consistently assemble their budget from state general funds, federal Medicaid, federal block grants, and private grants (Honberg et al. 3).
These community support systems shadowed what this population was experiencing in the supports that they were receiving from Social Security disability programs, as well as, Medicare and Medicaid which were health insurance programs created in 1965 (Goldman, 2015). The sum of the afore mentioned policy changes and acts, positively altered the mental health system by expanding community programs and improving income supports for individuals with disabling mental health concerns. SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, and Medicare became the financial backbone of public mental health services (Goldman,
The NSDUH reports that individuals with a mental illness is more like to also have a chronic health condition and are more likely to use hospitalization and emergency room treatment (NSDUH, 2014). According to SAMSHA (n.d.), 50% of Medicaid enrollees have a diagnosable mental health condition. Individuals with a diagnosed mental health condition have health care cost that is 75% higher than those without a mental health diagnosis (SAMSHA, n.d.). For an individual with a co-occurring disorder the cast is nearly three times higher than what the average Medicaid
Naturally, human life is characterized with a multiplicity of difficult time and often various moments of frustrations. According to careers in psychology.org (2017), most adults usually have to deal with a diversity of things, including paying day-to-day bills and balancing family and career life. Such stressful situations are often hard to get through and awfully devastating for some. The inability to cope with such stress in healthy manner, often leads to mental and emotional sprain. In such cases, mental health counseling is used to pull some individuals from their mental turmoil. Mental health counseling professionals offer counseling, psychological support, and guidance to people with problem coping mentally or emotionally. This paper
Client education is also a process by which clients are educated as to the course that alters health risks and behaviors associated with alcohol and other drug use and abuse primarily by abstinence but in some cases with medication to improve client health status. “Client education provides culturally relevant formal and informal education programs that raise awareness and support substance abuse prevention and the recovery process” TAP 21, competency 99 (www.samhsa.gov). Clients and family members are often unaware of the initial root cause (s) of the health impairment that led to or became the issue (s) (beyond presenting situation) of the impairment. Educating the client in a variety of forms is an essential part of the healing process and will aid in the overall wellness of the client. Some forms of client education are addressed in a class or group setting but can be significantly addressed in a one on one setting with a counselor however; the advantage of peer on peer feedback, or interaction is lost.