Margaret Krome writes: Mental Health Well Worth An Overdue Investment



Mental health advocates hope that this Congress will finally pass bipartisan legislation requiring equal insurance coverage for mental and physical illness. "I'm very optimistic that 2007 will finally be the year that our health care system recognizes that the brain is, in fact, a part of the body," said Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat. "We've had majority support for this legislation for six years in a row, and now we have a chance to bring it to the floor and pass it." We must also individually awaken to the call for personal responsibility for mental health, especially among young people 18-25, for whom mental health problems are almost double those of the general population. Unfortunately, this age group also has the lowest rate of seeking help, possibly from concerns about stigmas or lack of hope." Journalist Margaret Krome served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon.

Margaret Krome writes: Mental Health Well Worth An Overdue Investment

Mental Health Well Worth An Overdue Investment

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: A9

Saturday, January 6, 2007

Margaret Krome

A woman with a pretty smile spoke up the other day.

My spiritual community was invoking into our prayers people in our lives who are ill. Someone asked us to remember "the silent ones" -- those with depression or other mental conditions that prevent them from asking for help.

This woman bravely shared that she was one such silent one. Years of depression have left her unable to apply for jobs, she said, making mental health care other than medications unaffordable.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported this autumn about institutional failures in addressing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other conditions.

One story described a 16-year-old whose sexual assault of his teacher uncovered the fact that he has bipolar disorder, untreated because his mother lacked health insurance and could not afford payments for medication or psychiatric treatment.

As parents, we love watching our children tackle challenges they might have let defeat them, seeing them discover success where they might have feared to test themselves. But few people keep their confidence and emotional stability constant over a lifetime.

A strong friend of mine went into years-long depression after sustaining three major emotional traumas in one year. With the support of her family and friends, she slowly drew back into health, but her recovery certainly could have been hastened through therapy.

One of my inspiring young relatives suffers from seasonal affective disorder, and I have many close friends who are grateful for antidepressants or psychotherapy treatments that let them live balanced, healthy lives.

One family I know provides for regular energy healing appointments for parents and children in the belief that the soundest approach to mental and physical health is prevention.

It's time our economic and political system caught up to the truths so evident in our lives: Mental health is an important investment, and there can be tragic costs.

Mental health advocates hope that this Congress will finally pass bipartisan legislation requiring equal insurance coverage for mental and physical illness.

"I'm very optimistic that 2007 will finally be the year that our health care system recognizes that the brain is, in fact, a part of the body," said Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat. "We've had majority support for this legislation for six years in a row, and now we have a chance to bring it to the floor and pass it."

We must also individually awaken to the call for personal responsibility for mental health, especially among young people 18-25, for whom mental health problems are almost double those of the general population. Unfortunately, this age group also has the lowest rate of seeking help, possibly from concerns about stigmas or lack of hope.

The nation's Mental Health Administration says that only a quarter of young adults believe that a person with mental illness can eventually recover. Just over half of young adults who know someone with mental illness believe that treatment can help people with mental illness lead normal lives.

I was once a young woman with mental health problems. When my then-fiance became physically abusive, the extreme nature of his behavior prompted me to seek the psychotherapy that helped me gain long-term strength and perspective.

Fortunately, my boss did not stigmatize my condition but actually helped me find the very best therapist for my situation. In so doing, she helped me overcome the sense of failure and inadequacy that are often unchallenged companions of anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders.

As friends and family, we're not responsible to cure people, but we need to encourage them to secure and persevere with good mental health treatment, and we must support them through the emotionally unsteady periods of adjustment that accompany such treatment.

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If we take responsibility for supporting mental health in ourselves and others, and if our political and health institutions do likewise, our society will certainly become a safer, more joyful place to live.

\ Margaret Krome is a Madison resident who writes this column every other week.

E-mail: mkrome@inxpress.net

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: January, 2007; RPCV Margaret Krome (Cameroon); Figures; Peace Corps Cameroon; Directory of Cameroon RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Cameroon RPCVs; Journalism; Speaking Out; Medicine; Wisconsin

When this story was posted in January 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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All Volunteers Safe in Fiji All Volunteers in Fiji are safe and accounted for. The Peace Corps is monitoring the situation very closely. Volunteers are on standfast but there are no plans for evacuation at this time. Peace Corps is working closely with the US embassy and with host country partners to monitor the situation. Peace Corps is confident that volunteers are not in harm's way. The military seized control of Fiji on December 5 after weeks of threats. Subscribe to our news feed to read the latest breaking news.

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December 8, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Ryan Morris disputes Borat image of Kazakhstan 20 Nov PCOL announces Peace Corps News Feed 8 Dec Michael O'Hanlon writes: Civil War in Iraq? 4 Dec Dayton Daily News Editor Jeff Bruce retires 3 Dec John Sherman writes libretto for opera "Biafra" 30 Nov Carol Bellamy writes: The Hidden Cost of AIDS 30 Nov Gaddi Vasquez in Egypt with World Food Programme 29 Nov Bill Moyers writes: Message To West Point 29 Nov Alejandro Toledo appointed Stanford Fellow 29 Nov PC to start five new Master's International Programs 27 Nov Garamendi hopes to reshape role as lieutenant governor 26 Nov Parents plant seeds of caring for Carrie Jane Dulin 25 Nov Beth Duff-Brown returns to Congo Kinshasa 25 Nov Forbes gives Direct Relief International perfect score 23 Nov Margaret Krome writes: Parents provide a lesson 22 Nov PC IG investing in case management system 21 Nov Amy Taylor producing a CD called "NamibiAlive 20 Nov Chris Matthews interviews Seymour Hersh on Iran 20 Nov Joe Acaba speaks to Tech students 20 Nov Jeffrey Stanaway teaches life skills to at-risk teens 19 Nov Sam Farr's spinach fest 18 Nov Dodd Introduces Effective Terrorists Prosecution Act 16 Nov

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Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan On his first official trip since being confirmed as Peace Corps Director, Ron Tschetter (shown at left with PCV Tia Tucker) is on a ten day trip to Morocco and Jordan. Traveling with his wife (Both are RPCVs.), Tschetter met with volunteers in Morocco working in environment, youth development, health, and small business development. He began his trip to Jordan by meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and discussed expanding the program there in the near future.

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November 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Michael O'Hanlon writes: The New Congress and Iraq 9 Nov Amanda Host named new PC Press Director 12 Nov Shays will reach across the aisle for answers in Iraq 8 Nov Petri loses chance to become committee chairman 8 Nov Doyle gets a mandate to improve education 8 Nov Eunice Shriver spends election night with Schwarzenegger 8 Nov Donna Shalala writes: Eliminating gender bias in universities 7 Nov Robert Paul upheld peace amid Afghan war 6 Nov Carol Bellamy receives humanitarian award 6 Nov Joseph Opala studies Black Seminoles 6 Nov David C. Liner named PC Chief of Staff 3 Nov PCV Matthew Costa remembered 2 Nov Ethiopian-American community rallied for Garamendi 2 Nov Christopher Poulos named Teacher of the Year 1 Nov Peace Corps Writers and the Lost Generation 1 Nov James Rupert writes: A deadly attack in Pakistan 31 Oct Hill meets secretly with North Korea to restart talks 31 Oct Jimmy Carter remembers mother in Peace Corps 30 Oct Leigh Emery travels world for science 27 Oct IFAW breaks ground for new headquarters 25 Oct RPCVs Podcast Around the Globe 23 Oct

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Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races Chris Shays claims victory in closely watched race Jim Walsh wins re-election to Congress in close race Tom Petri unopposed for re-election to Congress Sam Farr wins re-election to Congress Mike Honda wins re-election to Congress Jim Doyle wins re-election to Wisconsin Governorship Kinky Friedman loses in long shot bid for Texas Governor John Garamendi elected Lt. Governor of California

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The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

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Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

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He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

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Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

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Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

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The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

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PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

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History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

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