IS NOT A LUXURY

Last month, we included an article featuring Dr. Stephanie McIver, Executive Director for Student Health and Counseling at UNM. This is part 2 of a 2-part interview with her.

Access to healthcare, especially mental healthcare, is confusing in the American system. Doubly so for Black and other underrepresented populations. Dr. McIver told us that one issue is healthcare’s “alphabet soup.” “[Who can tell] the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist, or a clinical social worker and an LPCC? Who can prescribe [medicine]?”

Moreover, McIver said, “Black Americans tend to be underinsured or not insured.” And when they have funds, mental healthcare is rarely where those precious dollars go. She says it’s often considered a “luxury.”

McIver is grateful that the Affordable Care Act [aka Obamacare] covers mental healthcare. “By Federal law, insurance companies have to offer mental healthcare with the same copay and coverage as they do for medical care.”

But how do you find a mental healthcare provider who understands where you’re coming from? “New Mexico [has] a very small Black healthcare provider population but it’s bigger than people realize. I founded New Mexico Black Mental Health Coalition because I couldn’t find other Black providers.” Fortunately, the pandemic made telehealth more readily available, which McIver says has been invaluable for BIPOC access.

“Whenever some tragic public event occurs, people often say, ‘we need more access to mental health.’ For anyone who has ever said that, I want us to do some self-exploration about our own willingness [to use mental healthcare], to understand what it’s like, how it can really work, so that we can serve as models, highly recommend it, and guide people who need it.”