You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics, by Kylan Veibell

You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics

You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Statistics, by Kylan Veibell

You are not alone! Statistics show that millions of people just like you struggle with their mental health, although you wouldn’t know since most live their lives in silence. In a society that encourages, promotes, and rewards the macho man and the flawless women, it is no wonder many people dealing with mental health keep their mental health to themselves out of fear of being second to those whose lives appear all too perfect. Too often, this secrecy produces serious outcomes such as obesity, addiction, divorce, financial ruin, and suicide as people attempt to cope with their symptoms in unhealthy ways. Until recently, I was among the millions living in silence.

Pie chart displaying percentage of Americans suffering from mental illness
One in four people will experience mental health challenges this year, including anxiety and depression.

Recent studies have confirmed these claims. In 2018, one in five American adults over the age of eighteen reported currently struggling with some form of mental health illness including obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder; as well as other mental wellness challenges including anxiety and depression. In 2016, 16.5% of youth between the age of six and seventeen reported experiencing similar mental health symptoms. More astonishing, are estimates that show more than half of the American adult population will suffer from some form of mental health symptom in their lifetime.

How Stigma Impacts Mental Health Care

Although improving, sizeable social stigma continues to surround mental health struggles and the act of seeking help.  According to recent studies, only 39 percent of the people who had a mental health symptom in the past year received professional health care or other services. Men are the least likely gender to seek help and the most likely to die of suicide where their mental health wasn’t reported or being treated prior to their suicide. Many of these men die of suicide without even telling a loved one about their struggles!

These statistics on mental health are concerning. It means there are millions of people who are unnecessarily struggling and performing below their potential. For those not openly discussing mental health and seeking help, common reasons include fear, shame, hopelessness, lack of insight and awareness, lack of transportation, and financial strain.

Line graph displaying a rise in suicide rates from 2008-2017
Suicide rates have risen sharply in recent years due to the worsening of mental health and wellness.

For those of you who experience mental health lows, these findings and statistics prove you are not alone. They prove the importance of being open and the criticality of seeking help! In the complex and changing world we live in, there are many people just like you, working through their mental struggles day in and day out, but doing so in silence. We want to change that. We want to help you! We want you to help you! We want others to help you! We are committed to you!

How We Can Help

At Overt Foundation, our purpose is to restore mental health one person and community at a time, so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. We believe, together, we can solve the social stigma, silence, and treatment rates, ultimately improving the overall mental wellbeing of our society. We believe, as loved ones and community members create a none idealized (macho man, perfect women) safe environment, people will find opportunities to discuss their mental health and seek help to learn healthy tools, techniques, and routines for managing their complex and changing lives.

Overt Foundation Logo
Our purpose is to restore mental health one person and community at a time, so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential.

We are on a mission to educate people about the seriousness of mental health, the power of being open with others, and the need for creating a safe environment for those seeking help. We are also committed to building a safe community of individuals who connect with each other by promoting openness about their experiences with mental health. And most importantly, we are assisting people who otherwise could not afford therapy, in restoring their lives through improved access to the help they need.

This is a movement and we need your help!

For those of you not overt about your mental health, we ask you to be open with a friend, loved one, or confidante, seek help from a professional or someone that has experienced the same challenges, and apply the tools and practices they recommend. We encourage you to be one of many who break the social stigma around mental health and beat the statistics by sharing your story on our website and with your social media circle.

To everyone, we need your financial support so we can realize our vision of restoring mental health one person and community at a time by providing access to therapy to those who are unable to afford it. We ask that you donate to our cause or sponsor someone in need. Our operations are entirely funded, meaning, 100% of all donations go towards helping someone access the help they need.

Together, we can and will restore mental health one person and community at a time.

You are not alone!

We encourage you to learn more about our vision and model.


Kylan Veibell 

Kylan founded Overt Foundation in January 2019 as a way for him to help others who are struggling with the same mental health circumstances he experienced throughout his life. Kylan’s purpose in life is to empower, motivate, and inspire the development of humanity so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

It's Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma

It’s Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma

It's Okay: Addressing the Mental Health Stigma, by Codee Seehagen

Throughout history, a strong stigma has existed around the topic of mental health. A stigma is something that degrades or takes away from one’s character or reputation. Evidence of mental health can be found during the middle ages but didn’t become commonplace discussion until the 1900s. As you begin educating yourself around mental health, you begin to recognize that there are levels of severity and diagnosis. Even today, clarity around these levels can be a little foggy, although I would like to point out a distinction between mental illness and mental wellness. When talking about mental health, people often lump mental illnesses into the same category as mental wellness causing much of the negative stigma surrounding mental health. Because they are lumped together, many people think something is wrong with them, rather than recognizing events and environmental factors that significantly impact their mental wellness and health.

Confusion Around Mental Wellness

The mental wellness category is where most people experiencing struggles with their mental health reside. These struggles include challenges like anxiety, depression, panic attacks. Contrary to the popular culture and stigma, it isn’t right to group every disorder or illness into the same category or severity. We need to understand that most people will experience some type of mental health challenge at least once in their lifetime. So why should it be perceived as something so negative or scary?

This stigma is potentially more dangerous than the mental health struggle itself. It is the cause of countless destroyed families, addictions, and even suicides attempts. Often, it stands in the way of an individual seeking and more importantly receiving the help that they need.

Confronting the Mental Health Stigma

I grew up in a stable home with two loving parents that did their very best in raising their four children, me being the youngest. While all of us experienced our ups and downs, at age 26, I was the first in my family to seek out support through therapy. Growing up I created the belief that asking for help is a clear display of weakness, but as I confronted this stigma around mental illness and asked for help, I found the strength that I had never felt before.

A glass orb held in hand with the image of an ocean sunset refracted through it.

I remember the first time I told a close family member that I was seeing a therapist for my anxiety and panic attacks. Shortly after the brief conversation, which informed them that someone they loved was needing a therapist, I was told the news brought tears to their eyes and made them feel like they failed me in some way. So, this stigma hits close to home for me. Gratefully I wasn’t suffering from a severe mental illness, I just needed someone to talk to and help coach me through my emotions. What my family member, and so many others in a similar situation, don’t often realize or understand initially, is that therapy was helping me become a better, more capable son, brother, and man. It has helped me understand the reasons for different emotions, it has helped me understand the emotions and actions of others, and most importantly it has made me a more kind and empathetic human being.

Hope for the Future

Fortunately, for the future of the world, the stigma around mental illnesses and wellness is being challenged. More and more individuals are seeking the help they need. Young people are major contributors to this change in culture. They believe in individuality, to embrace our faults, and love each other no matter what. Breaking down this degrading stigma is what the world needs. Let us continue to find strength in leaning on each other and becoming more capable and loving individuals.

Every person on this planet is a unique individual, who sees, touches, and feels in their unique way. It is our purpose at Overt Foundation to help more people recognize that there is power in being open and accepting to whatever challenge and severity they are facing as an individual. We all face challenges and we all need to support each other! So please share your story and donate to further our cause of restoring one community and individual at a time.


Codee Seehagen

Codee grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in International Business. His passion for mental health comes from personally experiencing the challenges that anxiety and other mental or social pressures create in our day-to-day lives.


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Does Mental Health Treatment Really Work? By Alvin Robertson

Does Mental Health Treatment Really Work?

Does Mental Health Treatment Really Work? By Alvin Robertson

As someone who works directly with patients on their behavioral health in a treatment setting, one of the phrases I hear frequently is, “this isn’t going to help me.” There is a belief that they will be able to overcome their mental health struggles by themselves or if they can just get the right medication it will solve itself. Part of this could stem from stigma, a belief that their mental health isn’t as bad as it really is, or a desire to be self-sufficient. I understand all of those positions. And the reality is, based on both my experience working in a treatment center and industry research, that treatment, particularly evidence-based treatment, is effective and helps hundreds of thousands of people every year.

Tired man sitting on couch with his hand over his forehead

I could quote statistics and reference articles to you all day, but in my experience, we all relate to real stories and firsthand accounts more easily. This is because of our hippocampus (part of our brain), but that topic is a different article. If you’re contemplating going to therapy or recommending a loved one go to therapy, one of your concerns should be “Is this going to help, or will I be wasting time and money?”

My Experience with Mental Health Treatment

When I went to residential treatment for mental health challenges in 2017, I had my first experience with therapy. My therapist was a 6’7″, 300+ lbs., former all-American offensive tackle for the Oregon Ducks, with 14 years sober after a 3-year prison stint. And all I could think of was how good it felt to finally be able to be open with someone about all aspects of my life. If you get nothing else out of therapy, you have someone who is required by law to keep your secrets, as long as those secrets don’t include murder or abuse of a minor or senior citizen.

More than that though, you get someone who may well have experienced things that you are experiencing and has some insight on how to overcome them. I have lived with anxiety and depression to crippling degrees since my earliest memories. It has prevented me from doing well in school, doing things I loved, forming meaningful friendships, and a whole slew of things you probably don’t have time to read (but if you do, check out my story here). I can honestly say that treatment and therapy kept me alive.

Therapy Works

After I graduated from the treatment program I attended, I was given an opportunity to work for the very program that gave me back my life. In the two years that I’ve worked as a case manager, I’ve overseen the treatment of close to 200 clients with varying degrees of mental health struggles. Without a doubt, the clients that get on the correct medication and continue in treatment as recommended by their care providers, go on to live what they described to me as their “life worth living.” One of my favorite examples is a client with schizoaffective disorder who went on to graduate with an MBA. Clients who commit to therapy and stick with it, often find themselves going to therapy after they complete treatment.

Therapy works. If it didn’t, myself, and all of my peers would be out of work. There is no shame in going to therapy. My whole life I felt uncomfortable, striving just to feel okay. I know I’m not unique in this. The percentage of Americans with a mental health struggle is at an all-time high. You too deserve a life worth living. If the difference between just existing and enjoying life is some treatment, why hold yourself back?


Alvin Robertson

Alvin grew up in Southwest Missouri and struggled with depression and addiction from the age of 11. He also has had extreme social anxiety his whole life. Alvin is a veteran of the US Army, and enjoys spending his time doing martial arts, shooting, and reading. Alvin now works as a Behavioral and Peer Support Specialist at a residential treatment center. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist, by Alvin Robertson

Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist

Seeking Help: Finding a Mental Health Therapist, by Alvin Robertson

Having trouble finding the right mental health therapist? If I had to choose a single obstacle that prevents more people from starting therapy than anything else, it would be the sheer task of deciding where to go. A single Google search of “therapy near me”, yields 5,480,000,000 results in .92 seconds (your internet is probably much faster). The first 3-5 results are ads, followed by a smattering on Google Maps, after which are lists such as one on Psychology Today. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the plethora of options, and shut down to avoid anxiety. Rinse, repeat.

Even if you go the slightly more informed route and ask your insurance company for a list of care providers that are in-network, all you get is a list of names with no way of knowing who has a good reputation, where they are located, or if they’ll let you bring your pet parakeet (they won’t). That said, this is not a bad route to go as long as you’re willing to do the leg work.

An outstretched arm reaching towards some trees

When selecting a therapist, it’s important to be honest with yourself about what your mental health struggles are. If you’re seeking help for your marriage, you wouldn’t go to a therapist that has no experience in that. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, anger management, struggling to maintain meaningful relationships, etc., there is a therapist for you. If you aren’t sure what you struggle with and are looking for more clarity, most places will be able to do a quick assessment for you to give you an idea of what direction to go. By no means should you take this as gospel, but it can help provide some knowledge as to what kind of therapy would be beneficial.

Resources for Finding a Mental Health Therapist

Here is a list of national mental health organizations that should have information on local councilors:

While searching for mental health therapists, you will see a lot of acronyms for credentials. Here is a list of some and what they mean:

  • Clinical Psychologist (Psy. D, Ph.D.) – deal with more severe mental health issues like severe anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, and eating disorders.
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – A licensed social worker can provide therapeutic counseling services and resource and referral services for children, adolescents, and adults.
  • Marriage, Family Therapist (LMFT) – Can support individuals and couples with mental health issues and relationship issues as a family therapist, or marriage counselor.
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC/LPCC) – Provide therapeutic counseling services for individuals and couples struggling with relationship issues and life challenges.

Other Things to Consider

You also might look into popular types of therapy and search for practitioners in your area that specialize in those. These could be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness practices, and many more. It is important to verify that someone who claims to use a practice is actually certified in it and is truly using its methods. I see this particularly with DBT, due to its rise in popularity.

Something you will likely run into while looking for a mental health therapist is the Online vs. In-Person debate. This really comes down to your personal preference. You may have people tell you that you can’t get as effective treatment with online/computer therapy, or that serious practitioners don’t work online. This simply is not true. Marsha Linehan is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in the world and recently launched some trial treatment with computer therapy which shows it to be a viable alternative for traditional treatment methods. If you’re more comfortable with over the phone, video chat, or live chat, then this can be a great way to get help.

If you don’t have private insurance, but do have Medicaid, a good resource would be your Local Mental Health Authority. This is easily found with a Google search, and they will be able to provide you with a list of resources in your county. If you don’t have any kind of insurance, ask the therapist you have decided on if they are familiar with any resources that will help subsidize your payments.

A man walking across a concrete floor towards a source of light

Begin Your Journey Today!

Hopefully, this has been helpful in alleviating some of the stress and anxiety that comes with trying to find or select a mental health therapist or treatment program. Don’t hesitate, start a search now. If you’ve made it here, you’re probably feeling motivated to seek help. Are you willing to ride that wave and continue to take steps towards a more carefree life?


Alvin Robertson 

Alvin grew up in Southwest Missouri and struggled with depression and addiction from the age of 11. He also has had extreme social anxiety his whole life. Alvin is a veteran of the US Army, and enjoys spending his time doing martial arts, shooting, and reading. Alvin now works as a Behavioral and Peer Support Specialist at a residential treatment center. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

What to Expect: Beginning Therapy, by Cody Seehagen

What to Expect: Beginning Therapy

What to Expect: Beginning Therapy, by Cody Seehagen

Beginning therapy can be a daunting and sometimes frightening task. Here is an example of what your first experience might look like, outlined in four simple steps:

  1. Recognize
  2. Search
  3. Select 
  4. Attend

Step 1 – RECOGNIZE

It was in April 2019, When I came to the realization that I needed help, I was experiencing anxiety and frequent panic attacks doing normal day-to-day tasks. Due to social stigmas around mental health, it was hard for me to accept that I needed help. But once I came to the realization that I couldn’t do this alone; everything became clearer and I found hope that I would push through these challenges. So, I began my mental health journey and started searching.

When beginning therapy, I found it somewhat difficult to find a therapist. Some therapist hours didn’t fit into my busy schedule, others would only see a certain type of patient, and some were clearly out of my price range. So, some of the things you should be aware of while searching for a therapist are availability, personal schedule, location, and of course price.

One resource that I found most valuable was my health insurance company. Most insurance companies have resources that assist in locating practices near you. Usually, this is the best and most convenient method because they will most likely be covered by your plan. In the case that you’re not covered by an insurance provider, there are many other resources in the community that exist and may be ready and willing to help. If your insurance doesn’t offer a service to help you find a practice, the internet is the next best thing! Try searching “therapists near me”, this will bring up a broad list of practices that specialize in many different areas of mental health.

Step 3 – SELECT

Once you’ve found a practice near you, the next step is to select a therapist. I’ve found that it is important to find a therapist that shares your same values. It is common for therapists to post a bio on their practice’s website so during your search for a therapist pay attention to what they say in their bio and try to identify similar values that you hold dear. Religion, family, marriage, friendship, honesty, or loyalty are just a few examples of values. Therapist fit is potentially the most difficult challenge in beginning therapy, but once you find a therapist that you work well with, it is a GAME CHANGER!

A person walks up some concrete steps

Step 4 – ATTEND

Now you have found a practice, selected a therapist, and are ready to make your first appointment. Plan on arriving about 15-20 minutes early as you will need to fill out some personal information such as name, DOB, insurance, and medical history. During the introductory session of the therapy, your therapist will be filling out something that’s called a DSM (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual). This may lead to other forms they will fill out with you, although this depends on the treatment you are needing and/or seeking. The DSM helps the therapist record your symptoms and ask the proper questions for diagnosis. This is just a tool to ensure they are well equipped to support and help you in the areas that you need. When beginning therapy, the main purpose of the first appointment is for introductions and getting to know each other. Be open and honest with your therapist.

Begin Your Therapy with Bravery

That’s it! It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3, 4. You can do this! It is time to be brave and find hope in seeking support! Bravery isn’t always overcoming some huge life-threatening challenge, bravery is vulnerability, openness, and kindness. So be brave, and begin by sharing your story with our Overt community, support others, show them there is hope, and donate if you are able. Be Brave.


Codee Seehagen 

Codee grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in International Business. His passion for mental health comes from personally experiencing the challenges that anxiety and other mental or social pressures create in our day-to-day lives. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Mental Health Needs More Funding, by Kylan Veibell

Mental Health Needs More Funding

One year ago, as I started thinking seriously about forming an organization focused on improving mental health, I began my research aimed at understanding the current needs of people experiencing mental health challenges. After a few searches online, it was quickly apparent that funding, stigma, awareness, and education were among the top challenges surrounding mental health in our society today. As I dug into mental health funding in the United States and worldwide, I found help to be out of reach for many people due to the financial burden associated with seeking assistance.

Financial Hurdles to Accessing Mental Health Care

Access due to monetary constraints has become one of the major contributors to people not seeking help when going through times of mental distress. We know that one in four people will experience some form of mental challenge each year, and of those, only 39%, or roughly two in five, will seek help. For individuals financially burdened, with and without insurance, countless are faced with choosing between food, heating, shelter, and transportation or paying for relatively expensive assistance. Untreated mental health burdens society and business, ultimately resulting in losses in overall economic productivity. More importantly, than economic productivity is the effect it is having on personal lives and relationships. It is poignant and unfortunate to know 61% of people without help are suffering, hopeless, and alone leaving them to live below their true potential or, even worse, end their lives out of desperation and hopelessness.

A woman lying on a wooden plank

You may be asking yourself: can people use their insurance coverage to seek and pay for help? It is a good question – one we will cover in more detail in the coming weeks. I will, however, say that many people who are covered by an insurance policy report having limited access to mental health treatment either due to expensive insurance deductibles or their insurance coverage is not required to cover mental health treatment.

If one in every four people will experience a mental health challenge this year with three out of every five of those not seeking help (financial reasons being the top driver), you may wonder, what is society doing to ensure access to help is accessible and affordable? Let’s dive in and find out.    

Who is funding mental health research worldwide?

The United States is home to 31 percent of the research funding, with the most prominent being organizations and departments within the federal government. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) were the top two funders overall, but other research funders, such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Aging, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, also featured in the top-ten global funders. Most of the current funding is aimed at researching mental health with relatively few programs solely focused on providing access to mental health help for those who do not have insurance, mental health coverage, who or cannot afford it.

How does public funding for mental health compare to other causes such as cancer?

According to a 2019 British study conducted by the mental health research charity MQ, only 3% of funding came from charity fundraising, which is insignificant compared with cancer (68%), cardiovascular disease (41%), and dementia (28%). They also found that across 4 years (2014-17), an average of $162 million was spent on mental health research compared to $798.23 million for cancer.

What this means is that 25 times more was spent on research per person with cancer than was spent on research per person with mental health challenges.

An elderly woman wearing a mask and standing in a crowd

Louise Arseneault, a contributor, from the website nationalelfservice.net summarized it best by saying, “The economic impact of mental illnesses on society is considerable with an estimated $130 (converted to US dollars) billion per year. The take-home message here is not that mental illness is more important than cancer but instead, that given its burden on society, mental health research should receive its fair share of investment. It will also not be a surprise to read that mental health research funding has remained unchanged for the past decade…”

As you can see, we need additional private, institutional, and government funding to move the needle on mental health.

Recent Funding Wins:

In October of 2018, President Donald Trump signed into law H.R. 6157, a measure to fund the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies for the fiscal year 2019. This bill went into effect in 2019 and provided increased funding, as a pilot, to improve access to mental health and wellness treatment. Their hypothesis is that increasing funding targeted at training school counselors and other mental health professionals will improve access to support for low-income communities. Below are the details of the bill:

Health and Human Services funding

Education funding

  • $1.17 billion for Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants, which include school counseling and school mental health programs
  • $10 million for the Safe Schools and Education pilot program, to test and evaluate partnerships between universities and state and local education agencies to train school counselors and other mental health professionals for positions in public school systems serving low-income communities 

Another bright spot in recent funding wins for mental health is a generous donation by the Huntsman family to establish the Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI) in Salt Lake City, Utah. Funding provided by the Huntsman family sets the foundation for:

  • Improving mental health resources for young adults.
  • Increasing mental health resources in underserved communities.
  • Advancing research for improved mental health treatment.
  • Identifying the genetic basis of mental health conditions.

What does all this mean?

Research funding for physical illness and disease, such as cancer, far outpace mental health funding even though mental wellness impacts a higher percentage of the overall population. There is, however, a growing awareness of the magnitude and impact of mental health on individuals and society including happiness and productivity levels. This awareness is perpetuating increases in investments made by generous individuals, such as the Huntsman family, and the federal government. With that said, access to mental health is still largely underfunded with many still struggling to access resources, such as therapy, needed to improve their mental wellness and health.

A young man standing on the shore of a lake

How You Can Help:

Donate

We ask you to donate to Overt Foundation to further our cause of restoring mental health, one person and community at a time, so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. If you’d like to donate, go to www.overtfoundation.org. Since our operations are fully funded, 100% of your donation will go towards helping someone access the help they need from a certified mental health professional. We cautiously select each person admitted into our program after assessing their readiness and need through a thoughtful and thorough application and interview process. We select only those who are ready, willing, and able to put in the effort to change their lives through using our highly effective model. To ensure each recipient is invested in their own progression, we require every recipient to financially contribute. We encourage you to learn more about our vision and model.

Share

For those who have experienced mental health highs and lows, we ask you to be open, share your story, or ask an anonymous question. Help us continue to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. If you don’t struggle with mental health, statistics show someone close to you does and would love your love and support.

Together, with your help, we will restore mental health one person and community at a time!


Kylan Veibell 

Kylan founded Overt Foundation in January 2019 as a way for him to help others who are struggling with the same mental health circumstances he experienced throughout his life. Kylan’s purpose in life is to empower, motivate, and inspire the development of humanity so that, together, we will actualize our highest potential. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

The Cost of Ignoring Mental Health, by Alvin Robertson

The Cost of Ignoring Mental Health

The Cost of Ignoring Mental Health, by Alvin Robertson

What are the costs for society that result from ignoring mental health challenges?

Something that I had never considered before entering the field of Behavioral Health was the economic burden to society. As a person in recovery – both in terms of substance abuse and mental health – I was very familiar with the burden at the individual and family levels, and these are by no means insignificant. But what has our cultural avoidance of seriously seeking to provide treatment to those struggling with mental health (of an acuity) cost us in terms of cold hard cash?

Shadow of man walking on road

The short answer is “there’s no way to really know”. We can calculate a rough estimate based on lack of employment, cost of treatment, and various miscellaneous costs associated with having what can be a chronic disability at a young age. What we cannot calculate is the loss of revenue that might have come from any of the bright minds lost to suicide, or unable to cope with their mental health well enough to fulfill their dreams and aspirations. We can’t put a value on the emotional torment felt by those that struggle, and those close to them who feel helpless in the face of adversity that we continue to understand better every year.

Statistics on the Cost of Ignoring Mental Health

In a study published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2009, they estimate the annual National burden to be about US$57.5 billion per annum (in 2006). This was approximately the equivalent of cancer care that same year, however, the cost for mental health came more from loss of income due to unemployment, social supports, and indirect costs whereas the cost of cancer comes primarily from direct treatment/care.

This may seem astonishing, but only 2 years later the World Economic Forum released a study projecting the global economic cost of heart disease, chronic lung diseases, diabetes, cancer, and mental health from 2010 to 2030. In this study, they share data from the World Health Organization that shows mental health as the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) at 37% of healthy years lost by non-communicable diseases, and an estimated global annual cost increase of US$2.5 trillion in 2010 to over US$6 trillion in 2030. To put this in perspective, the global GDP in 2010 was just under US$63 trillion and the global spending on mental health was US$5.1 trillion.

What Can We Do?

The personal, familial, and societal costs of ignoring mental health are severe. So, what can we do about it? Spread awareness, fight against stigma, make treatment more accessible, become more informed ourselves, and work to create a more inclusive environment. The number of effective medications and treatments continues to increase. Our understanding of the brain and genetics has never been higher. A large part of our mission here at the Overt Foundation is to grow a community that is active and aware. Thank you for your efforts to become better informed. Please join us as we continue learning ourselves and providing that knowledge and treatment to others.


Alvin Robertson 

Alvin grew up in Southwest Missouri and struggled with depression and addiction from the age of 11. He also has had extreme social anxiety his whole life. Alvin is a veteran of the US Army, and enjoys spending his time doing martial arts, shooting, and reading. Alvin now works as a Behavioral and Peer Support Specialist at a residential treatment center. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

Health Insurance and Mental Health, by Ben Roberts

Health Insurance and Mental Health

Health Insurance and Mental Health, by Ben Roberts

I am currently 24 years old, and as I have transitioned into adulthood, one thing that I have yet to be able to fully understand is how health insurance works. I wrote this article as I attempted to understand mental health and how it works with my insurance.

If you were to Google “Health Insurance Horror Stories”, there are 19,600,000 results that appear. Across the world, there are different health insurance systems in different countries, and all of them have their own unique problems. Here in the United States, medical bills are the #1 cause of bankruptcy. In 2016, we spent $3.3 trillion dollars on healthcare. About 49% of Americans get their health insurance through their employer, 19% through Medicaid, 14% through Medicare, 7% through non-group plans, and 2% through public insurers. 9% of Americans are uninsured. There are over 900 health insurance companies. Trying to understand the terms “deductibles”, “out of network”, “HSA’s”, “out-of-pocket maximum”, “premiums”, and so many more can be a headache. On top of it all, understanding if mental health care is covered under your plan, and to what extent, can be a whole other headache itself.

My Personal Experience Trying to Understand Mental Health Insurance Coverage

I decided to do some research to try and understand how mental health works with health insurance and how much it might cost me to get mental health treatment. I have not done research on this before and have not received mental health treatment before. These were my findings after trying to do this for the first time.

First, I went to my healthcare website. Since I am 24, I am still on my parent’s plan, which happens to be Regence Health Care. I signed in and went to a tool that they have that allows me to find doctors near me that specialize in the treatment I am looking for. Then I found a few that were in-network that were close by so that was a good start. Next, I went to a tool that they have, which is supposed to estimate my costs. I could not find anything around mental health, counseling, or therapy, so I am unsure of what this would cost me. I can see my deductible, my annual out-of-pocket maximum but no signs of whether mental health would be covered or discounted at all through my insurance.

After searching around the website, I decided to type in “mental health” on the search bar. I got a message saying, “No Results for “Mental Health” – Check your spelling or try a more general term.” I am not sure what could be more general than mental health, so I concluded that there was nothing on my insurer’s website about my current mental health benefits. I decided to ask around and look online more to see what I could find.

A woman sitting on a couch using a computer

General Information

What I was able to gather from researching online is the following: 

  • The Mental Health Parity Law was passed in 2008 and requires coverage of services for mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse disorders. The law requires insurance companies to treat mental and behavioral health coverage equal to medical/surgical coverage. This law affects employer-sponsored health coverage, coverage through health insurance exchanges, children’s health insurance programs, and most Medicaid programs.
  • The parity law does not require every insurer to have a mental health benefit plan, but that there cannot be more restrictive requirements than those that apply to physical health benefits. The Affordable care act does require that plans offered through the health insurers exchange cover services for mental health.
  • There is a single deductible for physical and mental health benefits. Once your health plan deductible is met, your insurance company should reimburse you for your expenses.
  • Insurance companies cannot limit the number of mental health therapy sessions per year, but they can manage your care. This means that after a certain number of visits they can evaluate your case to see if additional treatment is necessary.
  • Something important to remember is that certain mental health providers do not accept insurance. Just because you have health insurance and it covers mental health treatment, does not ensure that you will be able to use it with certain providers.

Understanding Your Own Mental Health Insurance Coverage

The best path in figuring out if your mental health treatment will be covered by your insurance company is to call your mental health service provider ahead of time and check with them to see if they take your insurance. Then, check with your insurance to see if they cover mental health-related treatments and to what extent. You can ask questions like, how much will this $130 therapy session cost me after insurance? Though it may be time-consuming and sometimes frustrating, it is best to talk directly to the provider and insurer to try and understand the situation.

Tips:

  1. Figure out which mental health providers are “in-network”. This can be done through your insurance company’s website or by calling them and asking them.
  2. Ask about copayments. Insurance companies require you to pay out-of-pocket copayments for certain services. Even if the treatment is covered under your plan, you may be required to pay a copay every time you visit.
  3. Understand your deductible and whether you have reached it or not.
  4. Ask the provider about their payment policy, and if they will bill the insurance company or if you need to pay in full then submit a claim.

Is cost the only thing holding you back from getting the help you need? Or maybe it is currently costing you an arm and a leg. Whatever your situation is, reach out to your health insurance company and see what benefits are available for mental health.


Ben Roberts, Director of Community 

Ben enjoys helping people become their best selves and enjoys working to help solve problems around mental health to ensure that people can live fulfilling lives. He joined the Overt Foundation in April of 2019 and works to help ensure that things run smoothly and that people are getting the help they need. 


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.

2020 Presidential Election Candidates' Mental Health Plans, by Ben Roberts

2020 Presidential Candidates’ Mental Health Plans

2020 Presidential Election Candidates' Mental Health Plans, by Ben Roberts

As we approach the 2020 presidential election, there are hot debates about a number of topics. From immigration to health care and gun control to the economy and taxes, there are plenty of problems to be solved. Another topic that is not discussed or debated as much is the growing mental health issues we are facing as a country. Suicide rates and opioid addictions are some of the leading causes of death in the United States. One in five people reports having struggled with mental wellness. With these staggering statistics, it is no wonder that some of our 2020 presidential candidates are speaking out about these issues.

An American flag waving on a flagpole in front of a mountain landscape

Let’s Take a Look at the Candidates’ Plans

Of the current front runners (as of March 24th, 2020), nearly all of them at least mention mental health issues as part of their platform. Our hope is that after reading this, you can feel more informed on where our future president stands regarding mental health.

Joe Biden:

(https://joebiden.com/healthcare/)

In his past government work, Joe helped implement the mental health parity law and worked to eliminate the stigma around mental health. His campaign website states that he will redouble those efforts to ensure the enforcement of mental health parity laws and expand funding for mental health services. Mental health parity laws address the equal treatment of mental health conditions in health insurance plans and help allow people to receive the treatment they need. Joe also participated in an interview about mental health where he goes more into detail on veteran mental health, drug abuse, and opioid addiction, mental health for underserved populations, and more. You can find that here: https://www.mentalhealthforus.net/candidate/joe-biden/

Bernie Sanders:

(https://berniesanders.com/issues/medicare-for-all/)

If we look at the candidates still in the race, Bernie Sanders is probably the most vocal about the need for mental health resources and healthcare overall. Bernie states that we should be spending more money on mental health specialists and investing in new drugs and technologies that help cure diseases and alleviate pain. His Medicare for all plan includes ways to shift money away from big pharmaceutical companies and health insurance lobbies and towards the American people. This would help provide mental health care for Americans that need it at either a low cost or no cost at all. His plan includes increasing taxes on the wealthy and on corporations in order to pay for this.

President Donald Trump:

(https://www.donaldjtrump.com/about/)

On Trump’s campaign website, there is no mention of mental health. He does discuss the opioid epidemic and that the administration has helped forward $500 million from our national budget towards treating opioid abuse. Despite there not being much on Trump’s campaign website, he has shown that he is committed to helping people struggle with their mental wellness. In December 2019, President Trump announced an increase in mental health spending, which would go on to help the opioid crisis, veterans, and early mental health problems detection. President Trump has mentioned he recognizes the long-term benefits of addressing mental health with strategies and programs that have shown positive outcomes.

The Impact of a Candidate’s Mental Health Plan

After looking at the data, there is no question that our nation, and even the world, is having trouble combatting the mental health problems we face today. It is my belief that the private sector, the government, and we as friends, family, neighbors, and strangers need to come together and help combat the problems we face today. It is possible that a certain candidate’s mental health policy won’t sway your vote one way or the other, but it is a factor to consider, and one that may become more important in the future.

Whatever political stance you may take, we invite you to investigate further into your candidate’s mental health plan. See if it lines up with your belief and if they are working to address the mental health problems our nation is facing. And if you’re up for it, share your mental health journey with us at overtfoundation.org/share.

If you’re interested in seeing some of the past candidates’ ideas, see below:

Elizabeth Warren:

(https://elizabethwarren.com/plans/health-care)

Warren mentions that we must “prioritize affordable, high-quality mental health services.” She introduces her “Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act”, which would holder insurers accountable for providing mental health benefits and ensure that Americans receive the protections they are guaranteed by law. She also mentions investing $100 billion dollars over the next 10 years in fighting the opioid crisis, which would go towards the people on the front line: first responders, public health departments, and communities on the front line.

Andrew Yang:

(https://www.yang2020.com/policies/mental-health/)

Andrew Yang has specific ideas around the opioid epidemic as well as investing in mental health. He mentions specific ideas such as mandatory postpartum depression screening, increasing resources for social workers in rural areas, and encouraging major health care systems to integrate mental health professionals into their primary care. Yang is also big on technology and discusses ways we can integrate new and emerging technologies into our future mental health treatments.

Pete Buttigieg:

(https://peteforamerica.com/issues/#MentalHealth)

Pete’s website includes a specific section on mental health and combatting addiction. He hopes to prevent 1 million deaths due to drugs, alcohol, and suicide by 2028. Buttigieg will also empower communities to leverage their own innovation and expertise to improve mental health and prevent addiction through a 10-year $100 billion Healing and belonging grant program. He hopes to decriminalize mental illnesses, require schools to teach mental health first aid courses, and help ensure that mental health care is as accessible as treatment for physical conditions.

Mike Bloomberg:

(https://www.mikebloomberg.com/getting-it-done)

On Bloomberg’s campaign website, there was no mention of mental health in his health coverage policy section. He does have a separate section about the opioid epidemic, where he states that he hopes to help hospitals be better equipped to fight these issues and enforce current laws surrounding mental health treatment and substance abuse disorders.


Ben Roberts, Director of Community 

Ben enjoys helping people become their best selves and enjoys working to help solve problems around mental health to ensure that people can live fulfilling lives. He joined the Overt Foundation in April of 2019 and works to help ensure that things run smoothly and that people are getting the help they need.


If you or anyone you know is facing mental health challenges and needs support, we can help you.

You can share how you’re feeling or about your experience, or apply to our subsidized therapy program.