Mental health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Mental health - Essay Example This has been affecting the people of the country for a long time and could range from behavioral to emotional problems that require psychiatric intervention. Those suffering from it, however, face serious challenges in attaining health care if they are not financially stable enough. For those who can get health care assistance, there are few policies that are in place for their advocating for treatment. In the places that there are, they are unaware or poorly informed about them. As a result, many people are forced to live their lives with these conditions. This paper shall look at the media’s role in influencing policies mental illness and how one can introduce or modify policies in their community. It will lastly, look at the effect of the changes on advanced practice nurses. The new policies being implemented by the government will allow the mentally ill patients to get the required treatment at affordable pricing and help them attain the required drugs. The media’s role in this should be to reach as many people as possible (Funk, 2003). Through advertisements, talk shows and interviews this campaign can be achieved. Given the fact that mental illness is not given priority in many places over other ailments, the media should be the driving force behind consumer awareness. A good example of such was during the 2009 policy implementations. The government was to provide Medicaid, offer affordable healthcare packages and new insurance plans (Koyanagi & Siegwarth, 2009). There were extensive debates and interview that helped inform those who were able to follow them. Through the same, certain areas of the policy that needed clarification were ironed out and areas that needed criticism were critiqued. This leaves no stone unturned in the understanding of the policy. After implementation, they should also follow up on the same to ensure that all is working accordingly. The nurses in practice also have a role in the