Page 6 - Healthcare News July/August 2022

OPINION
ince 988 went live on July 16, here’s what you need to know.
988 is a new, easy-to-remember number for reaching the National Suicide Prevention
Return to
A Small Step Toward Better Behavioral-
School with
hSealth Supports By NAMI MASSACHUSETTS
These Backpack
Lifeline. In Massachusetts, we have five National Suicide Prevention Lifeline centers that are staffed by non-clinicians. Presently, not all these centers are 24/7, and some of them do not refer peo- ple to additional services. Now, you can call or text 988 any hour of any day and connect with a trained call taker who can listen, provide support, and refer to additional resources and services as needed.
While we are encouraged that the federal government and Massachusetts have begun to prioritize behavioral-health system reform, we know that 988 is a small step in restructuring the system. At NAMI Massachusetts, we envision a behavioral-health system that includes:
• immediate access to mental-health supports for individuals and families that are founded in agency dignity and choice;
• services that are culturally and linguistically responsive and include options for both clinical sup- port and peer and family support from those with lived experience;
• a full range of immediate crisis support services that are welcoming, non-coercive, and meet the needs and preferences of the individuals seeking care over the phone, in-person, virtually, or at a 24/7 crisis center; and
• a comprehensive continuum of services that links people to ongoing care and support and ensures equitable access to quality care for all.
Additionally, we promote a behavioral-health system that addresses the high levels of ED board- ing, arrest of individuals with mental health conditions, climbing suicide rates, and tragic outcomes in some police encounters. For a behavioral-health system to respond effectively to an ongoing crisis, it needs three parts: 24/7 crisis call centers, mobile crisis teams, and crisis stabilization. The system should also provide a continuum of care that prioritizes the prevention of a crisis, care during a crisis, and follow-up after a crisis.
Promisingly, Massachusetts will roll out a second 24/7 clinician-run behavioral-health helpline in January 2023. This helpline will be supported by community behavioral-health centers with mobile crisis services, crisis-stabilization supports, and an array of urgent and routine behavioral healthcare. But there are still a lot of unknowns with the behavioral-health helpline and its intersection with 988.
First and foremost, while we appreciate these strides toward a renewed behavioral-health system, it is important to note that 988 is not always going to mitigate police response. Without mobile crisis teams and crisis stabilization, 988 will still rely on police intervention if they do not feel they can de-escalate a situation over the phone. Secondly, we need accountability measures, feedback oppor- tunities, and data-driven results on 988’s functioning in order to address any concerns or problems. Without these measures in place, we cannot effectively judge or rely on the system for people living with mental-health conditions in crisis.
While we wait in hopeful anticipation of 988 and the behavioral health-helpline, NAMI Massachu- setts continues to provide free information, ideas, resources, and support to people across the state navigating the complex mental-health system and related systems of care. Our Compass Helpline is staffed by people with first-hand experience navigating the mental-health system for themselves or a family member.
This is an important time for Massachusetts residents living with a mental-health condition and their families. We need to ensure that an accountable and transparent system is designed and imple- mented by centering the voices of the most impacted. It is also important that we are realistic about where we are in behavioral-health reform. We may not be where we want to be today, or even next week, but we are optimistic that, with input from diverse providers, recovery coaches, peer-support specialists, advocates, and people living with a mental-health condition and their families, Massachu- setts can create a well-designed behavioral-health system.
Learn more about the Lifeline at 988lifeline.org. You can find additional resources and suggestions for navigating a crisis for you or someone you support at namimass.org/in-a-crisis. -
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts (NAMI Massachusetts) is a non- profit grassroots organization. Founded in 1982, it aims to be the state’s voice on mental illness.
By BAYSTATE HEALTH
t’s back-to-school time, which means students from elementary through high school will be carrying backpacks weighed down with textbooks, binders, laptops, lunch, and school sports gear.
SIafety Tips
“As essential as backpacks are, if they are too heavy or worn incorrectly, they can strain muscles and joints and may cause back pain for the over 79 million students in the United States that carry them,” said Peter Ouellette, doctor of Physical Therapy at Baystate Rehabilitation Care at Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer.
Despite their usefulness, a major study recently reported by the American Physical Therapy Assoc. found that more than 50% of children surveyed carry backpacks that are too heavy.
“Make sure your child uses both straps when carrying the backpack,” Ouellette said. “Using one strap shifts the weight to one side and causes muscle pain and posture problems. The spine consists of 33 bones called vertebrae. Between the vertebrae are discs that act as natural shock absorb- ers. When shoulders bear a heavy weight incorrectly, it can cause the spine to compress unnaturally, causing poor posture, an aching back and shoulders, and weakened muscles.”
The American Occupational Therapy Asso. recommends that a loaded backpack weigh no more than 10% to 15% percent of the student’s body weight, said Kevin Smith, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at Baystate Wing Hospital. “Lighter is always better. As an example, a child weighing 100 pounds should not carry a bag heavier than 15 pounds.”
Smith reminds parents to keep a close eye on their children and how they carry their backpack. “If you notice that your child is slouching or leaning, or if your child complains about any kind of pain or numbness in the back or shoulders, the weight of the backpack may be too heavy,” he said, offering the following reminders to prevent backpack issues and injuries:
• Always select a backpack that is the right size.
• Adjust the shoulder straps so the backpack rests comfortably approxi- mately two inches above the waist. A bag too high or low on the back can pull awkwardly on the shoulders.
• Distribute weight evenly. Load heaviest items closest to the back and bal- ance materials so that the wearer can easily stand up straight.
• Keep in mind that bigger is not necessarily better. Parents should buy the best-designed backpack possible for their child. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry, and the heavier the backpack will be.
• Regularly clearing out unnecessary items is the best way to ensure that the load remains bearable.
• Not all backpack-related injuries are a result of overload.
“Studies have shown that many emergency-room visits made by school- age children involve injuries received to their feet, wrists, and elbows from tripping over backpacks,” Smith said. “In addition, carrying a heavy pack changes the way kids walk and can increase the risk of falling, particularly on stairs or other places where the backpack puts the student off balance. By following these backpack guidelines, you can help your child establish good habits to avoid pain now and later in life.” -
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