The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (3/6, Mauriello) points out that witnesses at the forum “complained of long wait times for mental health services, social stigmas, lack of school counselors and the need for more mental health training for primary care physicians who often first see psychiatrically ill patients.
CQ (3/6, Subscription Publication) reports, parents can face significant barriers trying to get help for their adult children with mental illness. Sometimes commitment laws and HIPPA privacy restrictions make things more difficult for family trying to get treatment for their relatives with psychiatric illness.
The NBC News (3/5) “Vitals” blog reported that three parents who testified at the forum complained that doctors’ interpretations of HIPAA privacy laws prevented them from helping their children. Doctors, they said, feared sharing information with the parents for fear of violating privacy rules. And, they complained, too often they had no one to call but police when their children became violent.”
Related Links:
— “Congress addresses mental illness in wake of rampage, “Tracie Mauriello, Post-Gazette Washington Bureau, March 6, 2013.