- Dr. David Beeman has been a licensed psychologist in Iowa since 1993 and specializes in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents.
A budget is a moral document. They show us what is most important to us. They embody our values. Moreover, it has long been established that we judge people by what they do rather than what they say.
So when Gov. Kim Reynolds states that children and their mental health are important to her, it’s double-speaking. We must hold her and the state leaders accountable for doing things.
The state of mental health for children in Iowa is dire. The pandemic has certainly contributed to concerns over the mental health of children, but problems with the system began years ago. I have. Finding a therapist with available time can take months. For children in residential group care, it is not uncommon to wait five months before starting individual or family therapy in that setting, around the time the insurance company indicates when to discharge.
When there is concern that a young child may have autism, many professionals reserve an 18-month appointment for evaluation, even though early intervention is important. Waitlists for other psychological evaluations in most places in the state are probably a year out for him, even if they no longer put people on the list. A psychiatrist waiting list may not be possible. When someone with a mental health crisis goes to the ER, they may wait days for a bed to open up elsewhere in the state, and they may be moved to the closest available bed hundreds of miles away. And some orphanages have closed permanently, unable to make ends meet for years, unable to hire and retain competent staff, and poor government policy decisions and underfunding. It is also no longer possible to manage an environment compromised by
The situation is even worse if your child is covered by Medicaid, HAWK-I, or the Iowa Wellness Plan. Many mental health providers who are not affiliated with hospitals or community mental health centers do not accept them because reimbursement rates are less than half of some private insurance. Reimbursement for group placements of children remains inadequate to meet the needs of the most difficult children in the state, some of these children because the system here is inadequate for their needs. are sent out of state for treatment at considerable expense.
Low reimbursement rates are a large part of the inadequate number of health care providers, the failure of population placement, the inadequate number of mental health beds in the state, and the inability of mental health facilities to hire and retain quality staff. increase. Eldora State Training School does not keep children safe from other children. In fact, Disability Rights Iowa recently filed a lawsuit against the state of Iowa for failing to provide medically necessary mental health care to Medicaid recipients.
The education system is also at risk. While teachers continue to do an excellent job, children with severe mental health and behavioral problems are disrupting classroom routines and learning for students who remain in the classroom. Teachers are leaving the profession, but this is more related to the lack of support for caring for these children than the salary itself. Additionally, Medicaid reimburses many associates to support these children, but special education placements and associate support vary widely by state school district. Some districts offer far fewer services to children with far more widespread problems. seems to have the most impact on
So last year, in exchange for helping our children and their mental health, the governor proposed a significant tax cut, which the legislature passed. This is because mental health services and education have been underfunded for years. This year, she pushed for a school voucher system that would definitely move money to private schools. Public schools will continue to serve those most in need (learning disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, behavioral problems, English-learning situations, poverty-stricken people with few resources and support, etc.) , Private schools may quietly reject students.
The ability to serve students who need it most is like the insurance market. If the pool isn’t big enough to share the risk, the system will collapse. Iowa’s education system has already slumped from the best in the country to mediocre at best and may continue to decline.
Instead of supporting all Iowans, especially those most vulnerable, the governor will support those most likely to vote for her. When judging by actions, not words, and using the budget as a reflection of underlying values, it’s clear that Iowa’s leaders don’t value children or mental health. It’s time to invest in both education and the mental health of our children to avoid long-term damage to the next generation.
Dr. David Beeman has been a licensed psychologist in Iowa since 1993 and specializes in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents.
