Maryland Voices

“Health insurance companies do not make enough effort to help manage the care. There needs to be accountability instead of families trying to figure it all out or worse, give up because it’s too hard to navigate…If you do find a provider who takes commercial insurance the wait list is so long. We need more treatment on demand particularly for crisis and substance use. Kids staying in the ED for weeks waiting for a bed is unacceptable.”

— Anonymous Resident

“Both my kids have struggled during and post pandemic - both have had to be placed inpatient as a result of psychiatric crisis’s [sic]…Neither have found any follow up care after inpatient crisis stays.”

— Montgomery County Resident

“Finding a counselor and/or psychiatrist for my son was unbelievable. The Health Department was empathic and offered some support but despite insurance and other resources, it was not enough to give him a chance. A bed in a treatment facility or even a recommendation to an IOP program was not an option - lack of space, long wait lists, no follow up. No support for those in the family living this nightmare day after day was mind numbingly exhausting.
Stigma remains - so why are we not hearing substance use disorder being referred to with respect by elected officials, with health leaders? Families shouldn’t feel they should hide this affliction - we don’t shy from COVID, heart issues, obesity.”

— Anonymous Resident

“I have lived with both of my sons addicted to heroin for over 7 years. The wear and tear on parents and family must be addressed.”

— Howard County Resident

“The lack of resources on the eastern shore of Maryland is a huge concern. There are such obstacles to getting into treatment for in-patient facilities. The treatment that is received is not adequate and often times sent home worse than when they were admitted.”

— Wicomico County Resident

“I personally have a mental health diagnosis and I’m struggling to find a psychiatrist in network after my psychiatrist retired.”

— Frederick County Resident

“When I was suicidal even picking up the phone was exhausting. Getting told by over a dozen offices that there was no help available and no alternative options was nearly a death sentence. Compounded by the financial costs it made it seem like nothing would ever get better.”

— Harford County Resident

“Since there are two people in my family with serious mental illness (schizophrenia and bi-polar), this matters the most to me. It was impossible to find a decent psychiatrist who accepted insurance, so I pay out of pocket to get them good care. I also was not able to find community services that matched their needs.”

— Baltimore City Resident

“My husband is a therapist and our 19 year old daughter died from a heroin overdose due to mental health issues. We had to fight our insurance companies for quality care and were denied so then we had to send her to RICA which was an abysmal facility - but at least had some decent quality staff. The resources we currently have for these issues are shameful. We must do better for our children, minorities, LGBTQ youth, the poor and those most vulnerable in our society.”

— Howard County Resident