Lack of mental health services plagues Monroe, forum panelists say

Sept. 13--Health experts and specialists shared a universal reason for reaching out to the public about their particular fields this weekend.

Panelist and Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services Administrator Tina Clymer encapsulated it when talking about the limited access to psychiatry in Monroe County.

"It's one of the biggest problems in mental health," Clymer said.

Not just in the county, but in the nation, according to a panel of five regional experts selected by the Pocono Medical Center and the office of Sen. Mario Scavello to lead a public forum Saturday on mental health and substance at Northampton Community College this weekend.

The panel, comprised of Clymer, PMC Chief Medical Executive Dr. Jonathan Goldner, PMC Clinical Psychologist Dr. Mary Nikitiyn, Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug & Alcohol Commission Prevention Specialist Jonah Talbott and The Commonwealth Medical College Dean and President Dr. Steven Scheinman, addressed a series of submitted questions from residents before opening the floor to the public.

What the forum accomplished was a deliberation on the varied routes a person in need of psychiatric, addictive or emotional help can take.

Nikityn, just one of two clinical psychologists at PMC, said hoped the forum opened a line of communication between residents and professionals.

"Anything we can do in the community helps to destigmatize and helps to makes us all aware of the problems," Nikityn said.

The panel took two hours to discuss numerous topics, touching on regional outpatient facilities, anxiety relief, eating disorders, public school's roles in mental health education, treatment groups, health insurance and social workers.

At the end, Goldner was happy with the discussion, but discouraged by his limited role.

"I feel a little bad that I don't have answers for a lot of people, but I think it raises the awareness," Goldner said.

Goldner praised the involvement of Scavello in organizing the event, citing him and state Rep. David Parker as potential aides in facilitating progress in these fields.

"It's money, it's really what it all boils down to," Goldner said. "It's about recruiting psychologists, it's about getting loan forgiveness, increasing reimbursement so psychiatrists accept Medicare again. It's things like that."

While nearly every panelist touched on the lack of attention to outpatient care for mental health or addiction patients in the county, Goldner said it's simply a result of it being "a state problem and a national problem."

"(Psychology) is just not on the forefront," Goldner said. "It's unfortunate, it's sort of a forgotten specialty, and that's tough because probably more people have a behavioral health issue than have heart disease or something else."

As a result, Goldner has had to transfer patients with behavioral health issues -- especially child psychiatry patients -- to facilities in Philadelphia or Wilkes-Barre. For some of the attendees with questions, they advised coordinating their own help groups.

They were simply preaching what they practice. Aside from seeking grants for mental health care, Goldner said PMC is partnered with The Commonwealth Medical College and praised its Behavioral Health Initiative and its role in the surrounding counties.

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