In the “we are all in this together” department…

A recent study shows that 1 in 4 adults admitted to community hospitals (7.6 million of nearly 32 million stays) have a mental-health or addiction diagnosis. From the study:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D., said, "The significant number of hospital stays related to mental health and substance use disorders signals the need for an increased national effort to identify and intervene early before the conditions require a hospital stay. Too often because of social stigma or lack of understanding[emphasis added], individuals and health care providers don't recognize the signs or treat mental health or substance use disorders with the same urgency as other medical conditions."

Editorial comment

There is another way to look at this data as well. Each of the 7.6 million mental health and addiction hospital admissions represent an intervention opportunity. For families across the country, this is a chance to seek help within the medical establishment. Each admission is also an opportunity.

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