It’s not easy to be part of the behavioral healthcare industry as professionals and providers alike run into several stumbling blocks. According to Sovereign Health CEO Tonmoy Sharma, the job of providing mental care is not exactly perceived as a “cool profession.” He admitted that his tribe is not multiplying fast enough.
Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, author and mental health specialist, blamed the misconception about psychological struggles, adding that both patients and care providers carry the unjust stigma of being in the business of the psychologically challenged. For those needing mental care, getting help is not something to talk about.
It is the same thing for mental care professionals. Counselors and physicians in the field are dealing with the bias that what they do is either “squishy science or soft profession.” So not too many are joining their ranks, and Dr. Sharma feared that the mental healthcare industry would soon feel the massive shortage of professionals.
Where The Shortfalls Will Soon Manifest
In India, for instance, mental health specialist Dr. Tonmoy Sharma estimated that the subcontinent would have to confront rising cases of drug addiction. The problem reaching an overwhelming level is not a remote possibility considering that India is within the region of major opium producers in Asia.
When the addiction problem shoots up to an epidemic proportion in India, the country is likely to be caught unprepared. Dr. Sharma says the number of behavioral treatment facilities in India has yet to reach the ideal level. He added it’s the same thing with the qualified personnel – not enough will be available in the event of a sudden spike in drug addiction cases.
In fact, such a trend is now becoming evident in the United States, where federal authorities have admitted that substance abuse and drug overdose have reached an alarming level. In the same way, America will be hard-pressed to deal with the problem because the country is just unprepared, warned Dr. Sharma.
More Challenges To Hurdle
Another source of worry for behavioral care providers is the tendency of insurance companies to treat mental cases differently. As things stand now, it is harder to win approval for a patient to get comprehensive coverage, but it’s not a problem for other medical conditions. It’s easy to see that discrimination is in effect, Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, author and mental health specialist, complained.
Providers applying for reimbursements on cases of mental care get frustrated by the time-consuming process. And many of these applications were denied or underpaid, leading to the closure of many behavioral treatment facilities, revealed Dr. Sharma.
The Sovereign CEO could only wish that the dismal situation will soon improve and be inspired by how most European countries handle drug addiction. The region has a well-established national healthcare system that allows ready access to all sorts of medical assistance. Europe, for now, is a source of envy by healthcare providers and professionals outside of the continent.
Sovereign Health
Despite the limitations that prevent them from performing their job to the fullest, mental health specialist Dr. Tonmoy Sharma said Sovereign Health is always ready to serve. The company operates several facilities located in five states across America. These treatment centers benefit from the expertise and vast experience of Dr. Sharma.
The Sovereign CEO is a strong proponent of providing addiction treatment with specialized psychological counseling. He believes that recovery from substance abuse would be more successful if the brain starts healing as well.
