A Post-Gubernatorial Debate Reflection—Together with Data—on Texans' Shameful Lack of Access to Mental Health Care

Friends,

I'm thinking about the Uvalde school shooting and last Friday's debate between gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke and Gov. Greg Abbott. You can view the entire debate here. Folks should know that when Beto said that Texas ranks at the bottom of the U.S. for mental health care access, he was correct. Abbott's lame response that we ranked 27th was not only not true but profoundly dishonest in light of real data provided in this 2022 report issued by Mental Health America where Texas appears at the bottom in practically every index that you can learn about and read for yourselves HERE. 

Relatedly, read the truth in this Business Insider story that Abbott denied in the debate regarding his cutting funding from mental health services to fund his flawed Operation Lone Star border immigration initiative that according to civil rights groups, is little more than a "state-funded 'shadow criminal legal system.'"

"Across the two years, more than $200 million was cut from the departments funds to go towards supporting the National Guard and efforts on the border, per the outlet. " (Al-Arshani, May 29, 2022)

In the debate, O'Rourke appropriately called out Operation Lone Star as a stunt. After all, our governor is "performing" governing while actually distracting us from a severe mental health care access crisis in our state together with other issues like the power grid, the environment, and funding schools and teachers in our state who are either considering leaving the profession or are actually departing (see Progress Texas, 2022).

For ease, I have condensed the Mental Health America report findings here. But first, take a look at how the MHA measures access with the acronym "AMI" meaning "a mental illness" and "MDE" meaning a "major depressive episode":

"ACCESS TO CARE RANKING. The Access Ranking indicates how much access to mental health care exists within a state. The access measures include access to insurance, access to treatment, quality and cost of insurance, access to special education, and workforce availability. A high Access Ranking (1-13) indicates that a state provides relatively more access to insurance and mental health treatment.

The 9 measures that make up the Access Ranking include:

1.  Adults with AMI who Did Not Receive Treatment
2.  Adults with AMI Reporting Unmet Need
3. Adults with AMI who are Uninsured
4.  Adults with Cognitive Disability who Could Not See a Doctor Due to Costs
5.  Youth with MDE who Did Not Receive Mental Health Services*
6.  Youth with Severe MDE who Received Some Consistent Treatment
7.  Children with Private Insurance that Did Not Cover Mental or Emotional Problems
8.  Students Identified with Emotional Disturbance for an Individualized Education Program
9.  Mental Health Workforce Availability"

• Adults with Ami Who Are Uninsured 2022—Texas ranks 51 (21,50%; n=759,000). 
• Adults with Ami Who Did Not Receive Treatment 2022—Texas is ranks 46 (60.70%; n=2,148,000)
• Adults with Ami Reporting Unmet Need 2022—Texas ranks 19 (24%; n=845,000)
• Adults with Disability Who Could Not See a Doctor Due to Costs 2022—Texas ranks 51 (40.65%; n=954,935)
• Youth with MDE Who Did Not Receive Mental Health Services 2022—Texas ranks 51 (73.10%; n=255,000)
• Youth with Severe MDE Who Received Some Consistent Treatment 2022—Texas ranks 44 (19.20%; n=44,000)
• Children with Private Insurance that Did Not Cover Mental or Emotional Problems 2022—Texas ranks 48 (13.80%; n=135,000)

I'm devastated, but glad I took a look. Do take a look for yourselves, as well. The numbers of folks not getting the help they need in our state are staggering.

These data are shocking and horribly upsetting as we ponder the incalculable suffering that tons of Texans are, and have been, experiencing. 

This is beyond shameful for a state as rich as ours, or for any state ranked at the bottom. After all, the purpose of government in a democracy should be to take care of its citizens. When it fails to do so, it's both derelict in its responsibilities and morally bankrupt.

Our task as voters it to voice our views at the ballot box.

-Angela Valenzuela

#Shameful #Uvalde #RememberUvalde #vote2022

References

Al-Arshani, S. (2022, May 29). Abbott blamed Texas school shooting on lack of mental health resources. But he reportedly cut more than $200 million from the department that handles them, Business Insider. Retrieved: https://tinyurl.com/ddwmf4u9

Mental Health America (2022) Access to Care Ranking 2022, Retrieved: https://tinyurl.com/2p9y7v3t

Progress Texas. (2022, August 17). As school starts, 70% of Texas teachers consider quitting. Retrieved: https://progresstexas.org/blog/school-starts-70-texas-teachers-consider-quitting