Mental Health Services: Public V Private
We have all heard of the local mental health hospital, taking the mentally fragile and giving them needed prescriptions and counseling, in the hopes of assisting them to create a balanced lifestyle.
But what are the differences between public and private mental health services? You can argue freedom of treatment (private) or freedom of information (public), but it usually boils down to one simple fact: funding.
According to the Surgeon General, public mental health services are managed by government agencies, such as State and County Mental Hospitals; and are funded by state or federal tax dollars, usually through Medicaid and Medicare. (www.surgeongeneral.gov)
Likewise, private mental health facilities are usually funded by private grants, corporate insurance and private-pay patients. However, private facilities can and do take public funding from time to time to provide limited public services. Private mental health facilities or services, even though they accept a limited amount of federal funding, do not fall under the Public Records Acts of various states. Check your state for details.
Public mental health services are accountable to the state or federal department that funds the facility. Business details, including financial statements, are a matter of public record, and can be accessed by anyone through the Freedom of Information Act. But don’t worry; your personal medical records are kept strictly confidential. No one other than your provider of services, your insurance company (if you desire), and you have access to the information in your medical records without your express consent.
Most public mental health services are funded by the county or state in which you reside, and your portion of the payment is based upon your income. This ensures everyone who needs assistance can afford it. Other public funding comes in the form of federal grants, from sources such as Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).
With the addition of Medicare in 1965, public mental health services available in the United States have increased significantly. Currently, Medicare covers outpatient mental health services at 50% of the provider’s contracted amount. Add the savings from that, along with the low rates of a government-subsidized mental health service center, and you have affordable public services for anyone qualifying for Medicare. Even if you don’t qualify for Medicare, affordable public services are available nation-wide, guaranteeing anyone can access mental health services if they so desire.
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