Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Report Finds Families Struggle Over a Decade to Get Help for Mental Illness
  • USA - English


News provided by

National Alliance for Caregiving

Feb 23, 2016, 05:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

At least 8.4 million Americans are caring for an adult with mental illness
At least 8.4 million Americans are caring for an adult with mental illness

WASHINGTON, DC (PRWEB) February 23, 2016 -- At least 8.4 million Americans are providing care to an adult with an emotional or mental health issue, and nearly three quarters report that caregiving causes high emotional stress, finds a new study from the National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“Mental illness is a condition that affects the whole family,” explained Gail Gibson Hunt, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.

Post this

The study, On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness, identifies startling inadequacies in the U.S. health care system in meeting the needs of families who manage moderate-to-serious mental illness. Four in 10 caregivers struggled to find an accurate diagnosis for their loved one. Families whose loved one had found an accurate diagnosis reported that it took 11.8 years, on average, to get there.

Treatment is also an issue. A majority of caregivers found that it was difficult to find the right drug and dose, and fewer than four in ten caregivers (37%) reported that their loved one’s medication was effective in providing the help they need. Caregivers noted several barriers to accessing health care services and long-term services and supports, including day programs, peer support, case managers, in-patient treatment centers, and low availability of services in rural areas.

“Mental illness is a condition that affects the whole family,” explained Gail Gibson Hunt, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “These findings illustrate that gaps in the healthcare system can impact a family caregiver as well. Caregivers noted that they felt isolated by the stigma of mental illness. They reported high levels of emotional stress and worried that their loved one would self-harm. It’s time to bring these families out of the darkness and get them help.”

In addition to identifying common challenges facing caregivers of people with mental illness, the study offers a number of solutions to help families struggling with mental illness. Providing greater access to high-quality healthcare services and assistance with care coordination are two of the suggestions offered. Healthcare providers should examine ways to include caregivers as part of the care team, improve access and reimbursement for medications, and provide education, the authors suggest.

“We often forget that caregivers themselves are enduring trauma, anxiety, and depression as they work on behalf of a loved one,” explains Paul Gionfriddo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health America, a partner on the study. “Surveys like this help us to focus not only on the inadequacies in our system of services and supports for people with mental health conditions, but also on the inadequacies of the support we give to those who care for them.”

“The study confirms what NAMI hears every day on its Helpline and in its family classes and support groups,” said NAMI Executive Director Mary Giliberti. “It reveals a glaring gap in support for caregivers that is one more example of the inequality between mental illness and other health conditions. The report provides an agenda for action by policymakers and they should act quickly to provide caregivers with needed parity in access to mental health care and to provide for their overall needs.”

Highlights – On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness:
• 8.4 million Americans care for an adult with an emotional or mental health issue (from Caregiving in the U.S. 2015, National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute).
• Caregivers have typically provided care for an average of 8.7 years, in contrast to caregivers of an adult for any condition or illness who typically provide care for 4 years on average.
• The majority of people receiving care (58%) are between the ages of 18-39 and it is often a parent taking on care of the adult child (45%).
• The main conditions requiring care are bipolar disorder (25%), schizophrenia (25%), depression (22%), and anxiety (11%).
• A majority of caregivers (55%) reported that they were included less than they felt they should have been in care conversations with their loved one’s providers.
• Caregivers indicated that the most helpful policies or programs would be mental health service coverage parity (31%), care navigator (30%), and caregiver education (15%).
• About half of mental health caregivers reported that their loved one was sent home “too early or too quickly” from the emergency room, hospital, or other facility after a mental health crisis situation (49%).
• Nearly half (49%) of caregivers said that their loved one is financially dependent on family and friends.
• Nearly half (48%) of caregivers said it was difficult to talk with others about their loved one’s mental or emotional health issues.

Methodology
The research study was conducted by Greenwald & Associates, with guidance from the National Alliance for Caregiving, Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and oversight from an independent advisory committee. Researchers gathered data from 1,601 family caregivers age 18 or older who provide care to an adult with serious-to-moderate emotional or mental health issues. Data was collected through an online survey instrument in September 2015.

Get the Report
The study was made possible through generous sponsorship from Allergan, Eli Lilly, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC. The report and related materials can be found at http://www.caregiving.org/mentalhealth.

About the National Alliance for Caregiving
Established in 1996, the National Alliance for Caregiving is a nonprofit coalition of national organizations focusing on advancing family caregiving through research, innovation, and advocacy. The Alliance conducts research, does policy analysis, develops national best-practice programs, and works to increase public awareness of family caregiving issues. Recognizing that family caregivers provide important societal and financial contributions toward maintaining the well-being of those they care for, the Alliance supports a network of 80-plus state and local caregiving coalitions and serves as Secretariat for the International Alliance of Care Organizations. Learn more at http://www.caregiving.org.

About Mental Health America
Mental Health America is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to helping all Americans achieve wellness by living mentally healthier lives. Our work is driven by our commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention for all, early identification and intervention for those at risk, integrated health, behavioral health and other services for those who need them, and recovery as a goal. Learn more at http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net. Media should contact Erin Wallace, Vice President for Communications and Marketing, at (703) 797-2588 or ewallace(at)mentalhealthamerica(dot)net.

About the National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates offer education programs to help individuals and families get the support they need. For more information visit http://www.nami.org or call the NAMI HelpLine: 800-950-NAMI (6254). Media should contact Bob Carolla, Director of Media Relations, at (703) 516-7963 or bobc(at)nami(dot)org.

About Greenwald & Associates
Greenwald & Associates is a leading full-service research firm with industry expertise in healthcare, financial services, & employee benefits. Conducting customized research for over 30 years, Greenwald & Associates has earned a reputation for extensive research knowledge, industry expertise, and commitment to serving the needs of their clients. For more information, please visit http://www.greenwaldresearch.com.

C. Grace Whiting, National Alliance for Caregiving, http://www.caregiving.org, +1 (901) 652-3862, [email protected]

Modal title

On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness
View PDF
On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness
On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of Adults with Mental Illness

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.