Advocacy Through Legislation: Addressing Mental Health Issues

Advocacy through Legislation
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Identify a problem or concern in your state, community, or organization that has the capacity to be advocated through legislation. Research the issue and complete the sections below. For each topic that requires the listing of criteria, a minimum of two criteria should be identified and discussed. Add more rows as is appropriate for the topic/proposal.
In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues.
The prevalence of mental health issues has constantly increased worldwide, while Covid-19 further intensified the situation. Whereas mental health issues are common in urban and rural regions, the rural regions do not have adequate facilities to address the issue. There are three contributing factors to an increased rate of mental illnesses in rural regions. One of them is inadequate access to mental health professionals and centers. According to National Alliance for Mental Illness (2021), over 6,387,811 individuals in Florida live in a community without enough mental health professionals. The second factor relates to the underutilization of mental health services due to the stigma and limited awareness, while the third is the lack of specialty training (Gandhi et al., 2022). The prevalence of mental health conditions dramatically affects the population and the poor, who cannot afford insurance.
The lack of access to mental health facilities can have several consequences. First, when individuals do not receive the appropriate care, it may worsen the situation, which is potentially life-threatening. Brådvik's (2018) research showed that most suicide cases are linked to psychiatric health conditions. Other factors include increased hospitalizations and strain on the emergency services (Brådvik, 2018). Additionally, mental health cases tend to lead to decreased productivity in the workplace, which by extension, affects the income of the people and reduces the quality of life. Third, the community's overall health may suffer, as untreated mental health issues can increase other health problems, such as substance abuse and chronic illnesses. If the issue is left unaddressed, the consequences will be far-reaching and long-lasting, affecting not only individuals but also their families and the community as a whole
The idea for Addressing the Solution
In no more than 250 words, outline your idea for addressing the issue and explain why legislation is the best course for advocacy.
Telemedicine for mental health is one of the most suitable ways to solve the issue of mental health in rural regions. Telemedicine helps medical health practitioners to diagnose and treat healthcare conditions from a distance (Haleem et al., 2021). Hyder and Razzak (2020) state that 76% of hospitals in the US utilized telehealth services, with psychiatry taking up 27.8% of the most frequent telehealth users. In the face of covid 19, the relevance of telehealth has become more acute. Telemedicine services will help increase access to mental health facilities and help with cost savings significantly since it will cut travel expenses while providing timely care from the patient's comfort of their homes (Hyder & Razzak, 2020). While telemedicine is an evidence-based solution to the healthcare needs of rural regions, it can face several barriers, such as legal, financial, and regulatory issues, that limit its adoption. A legislative approach is the most viable measure for systemic change and sustainable solutions. It is important to note that even though telemedicine began a long time ago, the issue of lack of reimbursements has greatly influenced its adoption (American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, 2023). Reimbursement is necessary for ensuring that the investment is sustainable in the long run, and when it is limited, the patients become underserved. Additionally, legislation will help develop regulations and guidelines to ensure that the providers are licensed to practice across state lines and that patient privacy is protected.
Research the Issue
Perform research and compile information for your idea. Present substantive evidence-based findings that support your idea for addressing the problem (studies, research, and reports). Include any similar legislation introduced or passed in other states.
Evidence 1
Zhao et al. (2020) state that mental health conditions are the most expensive when it comes to treatment. As of 2013, the direct healthcare expenditure ranged from $38 billion, and there was a couple of undertreatment. Their research aimed to determine the difference between the cost incurred with in-person health care delivery and the use of telemedicine for service delivery. Their research found that telemedicine was associated with increased utilization of mental health services and reduced cost.
Evidence 2
According to a Florida government chart on mental health prevalence, the number of people with mental health issues in Florida regions increased since 2016 from 1022.9 per 100,000 people to 1026.6 per 100000 people in 2019. The hospitalization rate for people with mental health issues was 1283.9 per 100,000 blacks, while Hispanics were the least affected, with a prevalence of 605.5 per 100 000 (Florida Government, 2021). This data shows the magnitude of the problem in Florida. Indeed, action has to be taken to address the issue.
Stakeholder Support
Discuss the stakeholders who would support the proposed idea and explain why they would support it.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 1
Patients are one of the stakeholders supporting the invention, especially because it would provide them convenient access to care that may not be available locally. Through telemedicine, the travel cost would be eliminated, which will help them not take time off work for in-person care. Additionally, telemedicine would reduce the stigma of seeking mental health in an in-person setting. Mental health services in rural regions are underutilized, mainly because of the associated stigma (Gandhi et al., 2022). Therefore, patients could receive care in the privacy of their homes through telemedicine.
Stakeholder(s) Supporting 2
Health advocacy organizations would also support the idea because they promote and protect the patient's well-being. Hence this group can support telemedicine because it leads to increased access to care for the rural regions where the services are unavailable. Additionally, advocacy organizations would support the idea because the technology is cost-effective and improves the quality of care. The use of telehealth helps them achieve their goal of advancing the public health goals, such as reducing suicide rates due to advanced mental health illnesses (Gandhi et al., 2022).
Stakeholder Opposition
Discuss the stakeholders who would oppose the proposed idea. Explain why they would be in opposition and how you would prepare to debate or converse about these considerations.
Stakeholder(s) Opposed 1
Health insurance companies may oppose the idea for various reasons, such as cost concerns. The expense of providing mental health services to rural locations may rise due to telehealth services since insurance firms might need to invest in technological infrastructure and tools to enable telehealth services. Moreover, telehealth services might need more personnel and training, which could raise the delivery cost. Insurance companies might also have to foot the bill for telemedicine treatments reimbursed at rates on par with in-person consultations. There are also quality-of-care concerns, as they may believe telehealth services may not be as effective as in-person clinics since they can lead to misdiagnosis and potentially compromise patient data (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). Legal and regulatory concerns are also a source of concern for health insurance companies as they...