Community mental health nursing

Specialties Psychiatric

Published

Hi! I am searching for others who work in outpatient community mental health settings to converse with and to compare notes. I work in a center in NC where we are currently experiencing a rather massive "reform" movement at the hands of our state legislature. I understand that similar "reforms" have already occurred in other states, MI, in particular and would like to know whether there is still a place for RN's in the "new" service settings. Thanks.

Dawn, near Charlotte, NC

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Hi, not many takers, then. Huge changes taking place in the UK too. I guess from your post that Social work is taking the lead role, as they tend to be over here. My sympathy...

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I work as a nurse, (outpatient psychiatry) at a four county CMH in Michigan. Further questions?

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Hey1 just saw this thread! This is exactly what I do.I am a LVN

I think some of the changes might be in regards to access to care? Here in California we provide care on a county basi .MediCAL (medicaid) does not provide parity for services when it comes to mental health; it is managed care, and sometimes micromanaged care.

:rolleyes:

Many counties will only see seriously mentally ill. Other counties have more resources and provide more services. My county is under 50k people(just) and we do not even have an inpt unit, never mind housing, day tx, etc.:eek:

It will probablly get worse too.

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Michigan has conceived guidelines for "severity" which are used to determine eligibility for mental health services. Theoretically the CMH's are supposed to serve the severely mentally ill. I work in a rural area which has a dearth of alternative providers who accept medicaid patients, so we tend to lean toward providing services rather than rejecting people. However, given the sad condition of Mental Health funding in Michigan, if we do not adequately apply the severity criteria, we get overwhelmed.

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