Father thinks mental health system is broken as he tries to find help for son
By Kendall Keys, James Paxson
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Michigan (WNEM) — Officials say young people in particular are at a greater risk of issues like depression and anxiety, but helpful resources can be hard to come by.
A mid-Michigan father struggling to find help for his son explains why he believes the system is broken.
“We’re ok, we’re doing the best that we can, but man I’ll tell you, when you’re back to where you were and a year has gone by. I’m smiling because I’m trying not to cry,” Jay Gross said.
TV5 introduced you to Gross about a year ago. “That’s where the nightmare began,” when his Facebook video detailing his struggles finding his son mental health care went viral.
He laid out the details of a system he calls broken as he still struggles to find the correct help for his 16-year-old son.
“One minute you’re angry, one minute you’re crying, one minute you feel so helpless because you want to help your kid, but you’re walking down this tunnel that there’s no light anymore,” Gross said.
From inside the system, Meghan Dahl, a behavioral health therapist, said the problem is just as apparent.
“I think everyone in healthcare is really trying their best, but when there’s just not availability, there’s just not much we can do except the best that we can. It would be nice if we weren’t having to just survive with the resources that we have,” Dahl said.
“I’m deeply concerned as a parent and as a doctor, that the obstacles these young people face are unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate,” said Vivek Murthy, United States Surgeon General.
Murthy acknowledged a youth mental health crisis before the Senate’s Finance Committee demanding more resources and changes to how youth mental health is handled. He wants a stronger focus on prevention, understanding the impact of technology and social media.
Dahl and Gross hope actions follow the surgeon general’s words.
“Asking for more is definitely a great step. Hopefully we have that follow through because it’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another thing to fund it,” Dahl said.
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