Posted on Friday, May 11, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/52929/
Dr. David Williams spoke Thursday about the threats and opportunities of mental
health in Arkansas.
“ In any year, 26 percent of us will have a mental disorder, ” he said. “ In our lifetime, 46 percent of us will suffer from one. ”
Williams, who serves as the chief executive officer for the Ozark Guidance Center, served as keynote speaker during the annual recognition dinner for the Mental Health Association of Northwest Arkansas. He, along with association member John King, were recipients of this year’s award for Service to the Community. The two have been involved in mental health services for more than 30 years.
Also awarded for her service to the association was board member Mary Nordan, who serves as the group’s recording secretary.
The Mental Health Association of Northwest Arkansas, an all-volunteer affiliate of Mental Health America, serves Washington, Benton, Carroll and Madison counties. The group is dedicated to “ promoting mental health, preventing mental disorders and achieving victory over mental illnesses through advocacy, education, research and service. ”
“ Any way you cut it, you or I or someone you love will have a diagnosable disorder, ” Williams said. “ Of those people, 59 percent will receive no treatment and 49 percent will receive some treatment. ”
Of those who seek treatment, he said, many will not receive an accurate diagnosis.
“ We’ve got a real problem, ” he said. “ We’ve got people with mental health issues seeking body health treatment and people with body health issues seeking mental health treatment. ”
On average, Williams said people with mental disorders tend to die 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. While suicide and injury account for about 40 percent, Williams said nearly 60 percent die early because of physical disorders.
“ There’s a high rate of body problems due to mental illness, ” he said. “ A lot of it results from vulnerable behavior. ”
Williams said Northwest Arkansas’ health care system is far from meeting the demands of adequate mental health care. He said Arkansas must meet the four following opportunities in the next two to five years:
• a complete continuum of mental health care for adults in the region and help develop the same on all five state regions
• redesign the child and adolescent health system to encourage best practices and the most cost-efficient care
• develop and improve collaborative systems of public safety resources, primary care and behavioral health providers to provide seamless body and mind care for the people they serve
• support Medicare and commercial parity
“ We are at the bottom of the list as far as community resources, but we need to be at the top, ” Williams said. “ We need seamless access to mental health care in primary care. ”
He said the development of a new mental facility in Northwest Arkansas is in the works.
“ We’re very hopeful that the funding is there and that we’ll be able to contract in July and open a new facility in February, ” he said. “ It looks like the funding will come through. ”
In closing, Williams urged people to take responsibility for the future of mental health. He said the three factors that have the biggest impact internationally include government, market and personal responsibility.
Arkansas: Mental health treatment services in northwest Arkansas are doing relatively well, according to David Williams, Ph.D., the president and CEO of the Ozark Guidance Center in Springdale. His center, for example, has received authorization to spend $450,000 to renovate space in a former general hospital to provide 16 additional inpatient beds. Despite the success in treating mental illnesses, much more can be done in preventing them, according to Williams, who noted that demand for his center’s services often outstrips supply. One area in particular he notes that needs increased attention is the effects of stress on individuals’ mental and physical health. (Northwest Arkansas Times, 5/16/05)