Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Mental Health Policies in the U.S

The Covid-19 pandemic has largely ransacked the world with any chance or hope of achieving normalcy again. Even if things begin to gradually get better, we have to understand and accept that we are entering a new era which has forced society to adapt to many changes in order to reintegrate ourselves to the unexpected occurrence, and this includes the surge in changes to legislative activity for mental health policies.

The well-known Coronavirus Aid, Relief, & Economic Security (CARES) Act is a $2 trillion dollar stimulus package with funds allocated towards Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),  Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Expansion grants, emergency response activities, and suicide prevention. Many mental health programs rely on reimbursements from the public, federal government, private contractors, grants, and other sources of revenue in order to be sustainable. 

The pandemic has greatly exacerbated the existing inequalities in mental health care, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations (e.g. people experiencing homelessness, people of color), which is an issue that policymakers should be focused on improving. The lingering question is “Where can we start?” For one, it is essential for the public to be aware of the changing mental health issues and reflect on what they need from the government, private, and public services that people access on a regular basis. Perhaps more research and evaluation needs to be done and finding innovative ways to tackle existing mental health disparities are good places to start.

References 

https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ps.202000219