Mental Health Caregiver Basics
As America prepares to celebrate Mother’s Day, the importance of being an informed caregiver when a child or other loved one confronts a mental health condition also should be recognized. There are many resources available that will allow you to support him or her while still maintaining your own health and well-being.
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), caregivers are allowed up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off in a 12 month period to care for a child who has a serious illness, including depression and other mental health conditions. All employers covered by FMLA, including Federal, state and local governments; public schools and private companies with 50 or more employees, are required to grant the leave, along with job protection, to qualifying individuals who apply.
Documents such as a Psychiatric Advance Directive, which allows an individual with a mental illness to determine the type of care he or she wants to receive in a crisis, can help your loved one have a greater sense of control and become more independent and involved in his or her treatment. The directive is completed when a patient is mentally stable. Not only should individuals carry their directives with them, they also should discuss and share the document with their primary care physicians, therapists and any other medical personnel routinely involved in their care. If your child is over 18, you should retain a copy as well in order to act as advocate for his or her wishes during a mental health crisis.
It is important to understand the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which gives individuals the right to keep their medical information private and can limit what providers are able disclose to family members unless they are the patients’ personal representatives. If your child is over 18 and you are not his or her personal representative, you may not be able to learn more than his or her location and general condition in the event of a mental health crisis or other healthcare emergency, especially if he or she is unconscious or otherwise incapable of making decisions.
If your child attends a public school and has depression, schizophrenia or an anxiety, bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorder, all of which are considered “Emotional disturbances,” he or she may qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan. An IEP is a written document that details what special education services will be provided and which contains specific goals that must be reevaluated annually. For students who do not qualify for an IEP and its special education and/or individualized instruction, a 504 Plan can help remove barriers to learning.
Mental health treatment can be expensive. In addition to the many government agency and nonprofit resources listed here on PlanDNoVA, Medicaid, a form of health care coverage that is offered in combination by the Federal Government and an individual’s state government, can help low-income patients in particular groups pay for medical care and prescriptions. The Children’s Health Insurance Program can provide low-cost health coverage for certain families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid. If your loved one does not have prescription drug coverage, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance may be able to help him or her get medicine without charge or nearly free of cost. Similarly, Together Rx Access provides qualifying patients with savings on brand name and generic prescriptions.
Being a mental health caregiver can be stressful and exhausting. Be sure to spend time with friends and other family members who can provide you with support, love and hope. If you cannot go out to a restaurant, theater or sporting event, invite people over for a cup of coffee or to make dinner or watch a movie or game together on television. Remember your own physical, mental and spiritual health by taking a short walk with your dog, gardening or trying to meditate. Set a small, easily reachable goal to recapture what is important to you as a person and join a support group or consider individual counseling for yourself if you are feeling overwhelmed. There is no shame in your loved one’s mental health condition and you do not need to face it alone. Help is available! #Caregiver #IWishMyFriendsKnew #WhatYouDontSee