The Mental Health Crisis in America: Recognizing Problems; Working Toward Solutions: Part 3. Access to Care

Abstract

This column is the third in a series summarizing the 2-day Centennial Conference of the Austen Riggs Center. The conference framed problems in access to care and in the nature of care provided that are part of a mental health crisis in America and then worked to propose solutions. This column addresses problems with access to care and summarizes the conference’s closing keynote by Peter Fonagy, PhD, OBE, addressing issues both of access to care and of the nature of care provided. These issues play roles in ultimately “bending the curve” to improve outcomes for those struggling with mental and substance use disorders.