Mental Health Advocate from Michigan

Woman embraces her brother.

In treating my own anxiety disorder, I struggled to find a provider who accepted our insurance. On one occasion, my health plan no longer covered treatment from the provider I had been receiving services from for almost 2 years. With very little warning, I had to find someone new in order to ensure therapy services would be covered.

I had the resources, connections, and motivation to find mental health services that would be covered by my health plan, but it was really difficult to find someone new and establish a rapport all over again. Many others aren’t as fortunate. Mental health doesn’t carry as much stigma as it used to. Society today sees mental health as being just as important as physical health. But it’s time our health insurance companies caught up and provided better access to mental health care.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they text HOME to 741741.