Local
Mental health agency targets bankrupt, foreclosed, jobless
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
October 23, 2008
The D.C. Department of Mental Health’s most common patients are the indigent, the homeless, the addicted and the offender. But the agency’s latest outreach effort targets an entirely different demographic, one born from hardship: the bankrupt, the jobless and the foreclosed.
D.C. Councilman David Catania, chairman of the health committee, said Tuesday that the goal of the “Help for Stressful Economic Times” program is to “reach those individuals who may be suffering from situational depression or situational anxiety.” The stress of stock market volatility, of layoffs and “just a general anxiety that’s been associated with the downturn” might be too much for some people to bear, Catania said.
“It’s an effort to broaden the reach of our Department of Mental Health to a larger community and to keep individuals literally sane during these very stressful times,” Catania said.
The program provides access to emergency psychiatric care and to problem solving services such as job searches or mortgage assistance. Visitors to the Web site, dmh.dc.gov, can test themselves for depression, and learn tips for fighting off psychological distress.
Stephen Baron, the District’s mental health director, said the department will furnish important information through its Web site, and if residents need emergency services, “We’ll take them to the next level.”
Although it historically has focused on case management, community support services and the administration of St. Elizabeths Hospital, Baron said, the agency has the capacity to provide clinical services to attack a specific problem — in this case the effect of a tanking economy on D.C. residents’ psyches.
Mental health is closely tracking demand for services from economically stressed individuals, Baron said.
“We wanted to get out in front of the curve,” he said, “but we haven’t seen it yet.”
D.C. Councilman David Catania, chairman of the health committee, said Tuesday that the goal of the “Help for Stressful Economic Times” program is to “reach those individuals who may be suffering from situational depression or situational anxiety.” The stress of stock market volatility, of layoffs and “just a general anxiety that’s been associated with the downturn” might be too much for some people to bear, Catania said.
“It’s an effort to broaden the reach of our Department of Mental Health to a larger community and to keep individuals literally sane during these very stressful times,” Catania said.
The program provides access to emergency psychiatric care and to problem solving services such as job searches or mortgage assistance. Visitors to the Web site, dmh.dc.gov, can test themselves for depression, and learn tips for fighting off psychological distress.
Stephen Baron, the District’s mental health director, said the department will furnish important information through its Web site, and if residents need emergency services, “We’ll take them to the next level.”
Although it historically has focused on case management, community support services and the administration of St. Elizabeths Hospital, Baron said, the agency has the capacity to provide clinical services to attack a specific problem — in this case the effect of a tanking economy on D.C. residents’ psyches.
Mental health is closely tracking demand for services from economically stressed individuals, Baron said.
“We wanted to get out in front of the curve,” he said, “but we haven’t seen it yet.”
