Agenda comparison grid analysis
Introduction
One of the most urgent healthcare issues is the lack of attention to Americans’ mental health problems. Unfortunately, despite the number of studies conducted and attempts to cover this problem in society widely, there are still many prejudices regarding the issues of providing mental health care. The consequences of these biases are the presence of almost 47 million Americans who suffer from problems with their psychological health (“Mental Illness,” n.d.). As a result, this problem requires immediate attention and appeal. The purpose of this assessment is to analyze and compare the details of the mental healthcare problem, as well as to find a solution to it.
Administrative agencies
Before speaking about the contribution of each of the presidents, it is necessary to identify specific ways to resolve this controversial issue. Government agencies responsible for addressing healthcare issues continue to exist and carry out their work. The most important organization that should be responsible for helping solve the mental health problem of people in the US Department of Health and Human Services or HHS for short.
However, this ministry is too large, so it is divided into agencies designed to solve specific problems. The mental health agency is The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (“HHS Agencies & Offices,” n.d.). The field of activity of this agency includes, first of all, efforts to improve the behavioral health of the nation and improving the lives of people with mental disorders (“SAMHSA: Who we are,” n.d.). As the name suggests, this administration also deals with the fight against drug abuse.
Healthcare Issue Agenda
It should be noted that each of the US presidents focuses on different aspects of this issue. This issue remains relevant and does not go unnoticed by the authorities because of its significance. The number of people suffering from various types and severity of mental illness is almost 20 percent of the entire adult population of the United States (“Mental illness,” n.d.). In other words, every fifth adult resident of the United States has psychological problems.
These statistics only emphasize the relevance of this problem and the need to solve it. On the other hand, addressing such a widespread issue is an excellent way to gain the approval of the electorate, and as a result, maintain high political ratings. Thus, maintaining the mental health problem is not only necessary, but it also is a politically beneficial solution for the president.
Each of the presidents addressed the problem of mental health in different ways. The first on the list is George W. Bush, whose administration created a separate committee in 2002 to address this issue. The purpose of this committee was to reduce the stigma about mental health (“President Bush’s budget request: Opportunities and pitfalls abound,” 2002). The primary task of the administration was to disseminate information about mental illness as widely as possible.
The Barack Obama administration has gone further by adopting the 21st century Cure Act, which has contributed to the development of medicines for patients with mental problems. Together with an increase in funding for this area, the government also contributed to the rise in the number of psychiatrists and psychotherapists (“Obama administration announces $ 100 Million in mental health funding,” n.d.). These actions were aimed at correcting the situation with the lack of medicines and qualified specialists in the USA.
The Donald Trump administration has focused on the other side of the problem. This legislature turned its attention to the US opioid crisis and allocated $ 6 billion to address the complex issue of substance abuse due to mental illness (“Ending America’s opioid crisis,” n.d.). The crisis in the United States has led to an increase in the number of people who use drugs as a cure for mental problems, without the supervision of doctors and dosage. Accordingly, the actions of the Trump administration are aimed both at improving the situation in general, and at correcting existing problems. Thus, we can conclude that the significance of the mental illness and the need to respond to specific circumstances inherent in each period helps it to stay on the list.
Entrepreneur of the Healthcare Issue
Despite the importance of the state in solving the problem of mental health, it cannot be denied that there are many organizations whose contribution is no less. Since work and cooperation directly with government agencies is often complicated, there is a need to support this problem from the outside. Such a sponsor may be, for example, Mental Health America (MHA), which has been operating since 1909. MHA is a non-profit organization that is engaged in organizing support for people with mental illness, as well as improving the overall psychological situation in the country (“About us: Mental Health America,” n.d.).
The most important achievement of this organization is the implementation of the philosophy Before Stage 4 (B4Stage4), which aims to address mental health problems long before these problems reach a critical point. Taking into account the fact that state structures often react to the state of people too late, the help of such a non-profit organization is precisely what people with mental illness need.
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that at the moment in the United States, people undoubtedly paid attention to the issue of mental health. There are government structures designed to make life easier for people, and mental health is on the list of every president. However, objectively, one state support is not enough due to the small number of specialized structures. Therefore, this issue should be raised not only at the state but also at the public level by contacting various organizations providing sponsorship on this issue.
Fact Sheet
Problems associated with the mental health of people are among the most acute and, at the same time, the most inconspicuous in our society. A person who has psychological issues may not look this way. Studies show that almost twenty percent of all adults in the USA have various types of mental illnesses (“Mental illness,” n.d.). Despite the presence of many structures, this problem is still acute and needs to be resolved.
At the moment, society is facing an opioid crisis of an unprecedented scale, which is expressed in the excessive use of drugs by people to alleviate their suffering (“Ending America’s opioid crisis,” n.d.). If outside organizations may solve problems of psychological health, then the issue of trafficking in narcotic substances requires government intervention. Therefore, the question of mental health care is so important and should be included in the list for administrative structures.
To take the necessary measures, not only the hard work of the legislation and state agencies is essential, but also their cooperation with people who directly deal with such patients. Nurses, like no one else, often face mental health problems, even if this is not their specialty. Therefore, nurses often become those people who listen to patients and help them realize their psychological issues. The community of nurses has vast experience in dealing with a variety of people with different mental illnesses. Thus, they must be involved in setting the psychological health agenda.
References
About us: Mental Health America (n.d.). Web.
Ending America’s opioid crisis. (n.d.). Web.
HHS agencies & offices. (n.d.). Web.
Mental illness. (n.d.). Web.
Obama administration announces $100 million in mental health funding. (n.d.). Web.
President Bush’s budget request: Opportunities and pitfalls abound. (2002). Monitor on psychology, 33(4).
SAMHSA: Who we are. (n.d.). Web.