Once again this year, THE PLAYERS Championship hosted a forum of experts on an issue important to people throughout the community. On Friday, March 3, a panel discussion on “Driving Dialogue for Mental Health” was presented by Optum at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse.
Mental wellbeing has become a focal point for many in the wake of the pandemic, which arguably compounded pre-existing psychological and emotional challenges.
Discussion moderator Scot “Froggy” Langley, co-host of the nationally syndicated “Elvis Duran Show,” began the conversation, stating that “we do have an absolute, undeniable mental health crisis in our country.”
Trip Hofer, CEO of Optum Behavioral Health Solutions, supported that observation with a statistic: one in five adults in the United States — or one in three, depending on the source — is currently facing some kind of mental health challenge. He said the demand is sharply increasing, while the supply curve has been flat.
In other words, poor access is a barrier to many who need mental health services.
But, said Valerie Duquette, director of the CAIR (Crisis Assessment Intervention Referral) Center at Flagler Health+, access is not just how many providers there are in the community.
“Access is: access to insurance, the cost of co-payments, the travel to and from appointments, the time of day that things are available,” she said.
In addition, people don’t always know which way to turn.
“If you blow your knee out, you go and find an orthopedist,” Hofer said. “But if you’re not feeling well mentally, what do you do? Do you see a psychiatrist? Do you see a psychologist? Do you see a therapist? Do you see a life coach? Do you go on an app?”
Another big barrier the panel addressed was stigma.
“We have to make it OK for people to talk about what’s going on in their lives and in their hearts and what they’re feeling and experiencing at the time,” Duquette said.
A major concern is for young people who are struggling with mental health issues. Dr. Debra Katz, a board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist, said that suicide is the second leading cause of youth deaths.
“No one,” said Hearts 4 Minds founder Sheryl Johnson, “should lose a loved one simply because they didn’t have the health literacy or access to care.”
Lauren Cikara, representing Active Minds, emphasized the importance of communication, particularly between peers.
