Survey Reveals Urgent Need For Mental Health Services Due To COVID Pandemic
BOSTON (CBS) - A new survey revealed the deep impact on people's mental health during the first year of the COVID pandemic. According to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, more than one in three adults reported needing behavioral health care for themselves or a family member.
The survey also showed one in four adults who needed care got none.
Audrey Shelto, President and CEO of the BCBS Foundation said it shows a very urgent need for help in Massachusetts.
"For everyone this has been a very stressful and anxiety producing time," Shelto said. "For certain populations it's been even worse. For college students, for parents of young children, communities of color, people with low incomes, they have reported needing even more behavioral health services than the general population."
Shelto said it is hard to find help because a lot of the clinicians who provide mental health services in Massachusetts only take certain types of insurance.
"If you have MassHealth, if you have public insurance, it's very hard to find a provider who will take your insurance and there are a lot of providers in the Commonwealth who don't take any insurance," Shelto said.