Unreal

F

flutterbee

Guest
I had called county mental health recently and they told me there was a 6 month wait. My GP said they told her recently she was told it was a 2 week wait.

I called them yesterday for an appointment with a psychiatrist. They called back today. Their psychiatrists are not taking new patients right now. :surprise: How can county mental health not be taking new patients??? Isn't this what we pay taxes for and recently passed a new levy for?

This is unbelievable. :mad::mad::mad:
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
Oh. And then she asked what kind of insurance we have. I told her BCBS primary and medicaid secondary.

She said, "Ohhhhhh...see, we're out of network with BCBS." Ummmmm.....so? Medicaid will pick up whatever BCBS doesn't.

Plus, it's county mental health. It's sliding scale.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
 

klmno

Active Member
Heather, I've had horrid experiences with our county mental health (except the crisis portion- that just depends on who's on duty). There was a long waiting list, they lost files, they used to take our insurance, but now I hear they no longer take it. Also, if you didn't have any insurance, they would use a sliding scale. Now, I hear they only take new medicaid patients. Plus, I wasn't too impressed with the quality level- or should I say, lack thereof. Have you asked around about yours- not profs, but have you spoken to other people who have used their services? If you have private insurance, can you get in with a private psychiatrist? Also, if you're going to stick with your county agency, you might to ask if Wynter would be seeing a child&adolescent certified psychiatrist. in my humble opinion.
 
B

bran155

Guest
I think waiting lists for mental health is ridiculous!!! No new patients is also ridiculous. It's a shame that mental illness is not taken seriously enough. I can't imagine calling a General Practitioner's office to make an appointment. for any sort of medical care and being put on a waiting list. Mental health is just as important as Physical health!!! So frustrating!!!

I am sorry you are having such a hard time. I hope you get what you need sooner rather than later.

Good luck. :)
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
I guess any new mental health issues won't be occurring in your county since the psychiatrists aren't taking new patients. Argh! :devil:
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Ew! How frustrating! I am so sorry.
You either need to turn into a pit bull with-these people, or look elsewhere.
 

4timmy

New Member
I think waiting lists for mental health is ridiculous!!! No new patients is also ridiculous. It's a shame that mental illness is not taken seriously enough. I can't imagine calling a General Practitioner's office to make an appointment. for any sort of medical care and being put on a waiting list. Mental health is just as important as Physical health!!! So frustrating!!!

:faint::mad::faint::mad: -- I AGREE!!!! This same thing happened to me... waiting list!!! So, I said OK.... then in the meantime found Children's Behavior Health (out of network for BCBS--my insurance too). So I was like, I don't care, just get me a psychiatrist. THEN come time for me to come up on the waiting list, guess who NEVER calls me back????? ARG!! Yes, very frustrating... We aren't with Children's now either because I thought the psychiatrist was too quick with the medications and no other solution.... now I'm with another place (still not covered by BCBS-sliding scale) and the psychiatrist is about the same.

I'm like, hey!!! Where's the Dr. Phil's of the world right?? (At that time I watched a lot of Dr. Phil) I thought it would be just like going to any other doctor! It's just not fair!!
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
Thing is, there is no waiting list. They're just not taking new patients. Period.
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
Usually they will have a timeframe for when to call back. Our psychiatrist frequently has to stop accepting new patients. But he still maintains a wait list for cancellations.

Can you ask if there is such a list -- explaining that it's urgent and you need to get her in as soon as ANYTHING opens up? Of course, dealing with a government agency doesn't guarantee anything will make sense. The other option is to call them EVERY. DARN. DAY. until you get in. BE the squeaky wheel. EMBRACE your talent to be a PEST to them. Make them SCRAMBLE to fit you in just to get you off their BACKS!!!

So sorry Heather!
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
I'm so sorry, Heather.

Why do the powers that be cut mental health services first? Our local paper reported yesterday that Fresno County will be closing the ONLY 24-hour mental health care facility in the region. Bad enough we have nothing for teens, now we'll have nothing for anyone.
 

klmno

Active Member
Just annoyed by all this- ask any of those people making these decisions if they had to choose between their mind going and not being able to get treatment or their bodies going and not being able to get treatment, which would they choose? But really- treatment for both should be available. there are other ways for localities to save money.
 
Top