ReDiscover, a pilot program intended to “stop the revolving door at hospital emergency rooms among persons with mental health and substance abuse problems,” has saved Missouri $13.7 million in medical costs in its first year and a half, on an investment of approximately $800,000. The program is characterized by small caseloads, and case workers who have the power to spend extra time and provide financial assistance without clearing bureaucratic hurdles. The Missouri Department of Mental Health has allocated $7.5 million to implement the program around the state.
Providing actual help , what an amazing concept.
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Read the fine print “a schizophrenic man… came to an emergency room 17 times in nine days. Now that he has the medication he needs,…”
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“What treatment is available?
ReDiscover, and other community mental health agencies, provide services to help people with depression. There are a variety of antidepressant medications that can be used to treat depressive disorders, but care can typically include combined treatment of medication and psychotherapy.”
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ReDiscover Adult and Family Services Manager Jean Schweer said, “Start by writing down a concise description of your child’s symptoms. Make a prioritized list of all your health-related concerns, from worrisome thoughts to physical aches and pains to weight loss to erratic behavior. Preparing this kind of information ahead of an appointment leaves more time during the appointment for a focused discussion, answers to your questions, and for the kind of assessment needed to eventually make a diagnosis and build a treatment plan.”
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Help is available. You can learn to manage symptoms of mental illness and find ways to participate in a network of support. ReDiscover offers services for individuals and their families learning to cope with serious chronic illnesses.
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