Special Report: Abandoning our mentally ill

In Nigeria, a methodology known as task-sharing is helping to lessen the burden on the country's mental health care system. The premise of this model is to train "other health personnel, such as community health workers, to identify mental health issues and provide basic interventions, thus reducing the number of cases that are brought to the very few specialists." Although some do not believe it to be a long-term solution, the model is credited with being a good option in resource-constricted regions.

A network of pediatric care providers and mental health specialists are teaming up to offer comprehensive mental health services for children in Florida, something that has previously been neglected. The Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida establishes mental health checkups are part of the primary health care for children with their Beautiful Minds initiative, which also creates the network of integrated care. Today the Healthcare Network has psychologists in all 16 of their pediatric and adult practices and as a result has seen behavioral health visits jump from 964 in 2013 to 4,606 in 2016.

For offenders with a co-occurring mental health disorder, the regular prison system is not viewed as an optimal environment. A mental health court would help lower recidivism and increase the offender's quality of life by treating their mental health issues in order to focus on the underlying issue contributing to the criminal acts.

Milwaukee County’s mental health system put more resources in expensive emergency care rather than invest in programs that offer continual care. As a result, Milwaukee County identifies nine solutions from other cities that have had success in repairing mental health systems. Solutions include the ending of reliance on emergency care, expand community support programs, change laws, and supportive housing.

Several projects are currently working toward full deinstitutionalization by transferring residents of institutional care facilities to community-based homes. In these community homes, residents will be taught the necessary skills to help them reintegrate into society and live independently despite the challenges they may face, whether that be mental health disorders or developmental disabilities. So far, 171 people have been moved out of institutions to group homes.

Across Georgia, a community-based mental health care approach has decreased both the duration and frequency of hospitalization for clients. This approach relies on mental health and other healthcare specialists delivering care to clients via mobile teams.

As the coronavirus pandemic forces people into isolation and social distancing, places known as "peer respites" are providing a space for those "experiencing or nearing a mental health crisis" to seek help. While the peer respites don't offer clinical care by licensed mental healthcare professionals, they are free for those who stay and "offer people in distress short-term (usually up to two weeks), round-the-clock emotional support from peers."

A residential home for disabled children in Gomel, Belarus is setting an example for similar facilities by changing the model of care. Designed with the goal of reuniting the children with their families, the facility uses a model of education that aims to support, not substitute families while still emphasizing a "family atmosphere."

In Trieste, Italy, accessing mental health care resources is made easier by an approach that allows for people to seek assistance without the fear of being punished. In most cases throughout the region, mental health centers act as first responders and treatment facilities are open-door with very few instances of coercive treatment initiated. While individuals report that this model of care is successful, another element of success includes the employment rate of patients.

Rural counties in California face a shortage of psychiatrists and therapists. Some counties are responding to this issue by investing in mental health workers. In Amador County, the Amador College Connect program allows students who want to pursue a certificate or associates in human services to enroll in online courses. 44 students have been sponsored through the program since 2014.