The Mental Health Connection
2022 is off to a great start here at Help Therapy!
Our network of practitioners inside and outside the San Diego area is growing. We’re expanding our reach into Arizona and Texas for psychological evaluations and since January, we’ve added nine providers. Besides offering evaluations, these mental healthcare practitioners provide other services and therapies, including pre-surgical screenings, personality assessments and ketamine therapy. A list of these provider partners is further down in this newsletter.
Help Therapy is also proud to sponsor CICAHM 2022. This year’s theme is Managing Change in a Changing World. It will focus on mental health issues of children and adolescents in the age of the pandemic. It takes place March 11, 2022 in San Diego. For more information and to register to attend, visit CICAHM 2022.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Annette Conway, PsyD
President
Help Therapy
February is Black History and Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
Black History Month
In 1915, fifty years after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History was founded. Now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926.
In 1976, fifty years after the first celebration honoring the contributions of African Americans, President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” That year, Black History Month was proclaimed.
In 2021, President JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR also proclaimed February as Black History Month, stating, “It is long past time to confront deep racial inequities and the systemic racism that continue to plague our Nation”.
Read the proclamation here.
Black History Month honors the struggles and triumphs of African Americans throughout U.S. history and brings awareness to the racial inequities that still plague our nation.
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
According to one report, youths between 12 to 19 experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault in the U.S. One study also revealed that approximately 10% of adolescents reported being the victim of physical violence by an intimate partner during the year prior to the study. Girls and young women are more vulnerable to experiencing violence in their relationships and often suffer long-term health effects—both physical and psychological.
President Barack Obama proclaimed February as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in 2013. Read the proclamation here.
Bringing “Doom Scrolling” to Light
If used correctly, social media can be a means of entertainment, information and active engagement. But, since the development of social media platforms, concerns over adverse health effects these platforms may be causing continue to rise as the way people use these platforms evolve. Long gone are the times when people turned to social media as just a place to post vacation photos and watch videos of cats doing tricks. These platforms have evolved as the go-to for constant updates on what’s happening in the world. And as with most trending news, it’s not usually good news. The isolation brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused more people to turn to social media to stay connected, keep up with the latest news and just pass the time. And, those already using social media regularly before the pandemic rely on it even more. As the effects of isolation, negativity, despair and other consequences of the pandemic come to light, obsession with social media expands far beyond FOMO. It’s further enabled “doom scrolling” or “doom surfing.” These are terms used to describe the tendency to fixate on news, events and scenarios resulting in severe agitation, causing physical discomfort. Constantly viewing negativity can lead to catastrophizing— focusing on the negative in all situations. Over time, this can lead to a host of mental health issues. Of course, the effects of this negativity can be devastating for those already suffering from anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions. Until more people become aware of the possible dangers of using social media and the real mental health issues that can arise, people suffering from “doom surfing” will continue.
Kidney Disease and Depression: The Need for Support
When it comes to chronic medical conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are often top of mind. But there is another chronic disease that needs attention—especially as it relates to depression. That disease is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
According to the CDC:
37 million adults in the U.S. have CKD—over 14%
As many as 9 in 10 adults with CKD don’t know it
About 2 in 5 adults with severe CKD don’t realize it
This disease has caught the attention of some, specifically Monogram Health—a tech-empowered kidney disease management company. This start-up received $160 million in funding from Humana in June 2021 and is building a national network of nurses, nephrologists, dieticians, pharmacists and social workers.
But another health care professional plays an essential role in managing CKD—the mental health practitioner.
There’s a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with CKD. Depression has long been associated with end-stage kidney disease. But, as high as 34.5% of patients on dialysis are likely to develop depression and close to 24% of patients with CKD suffer from depression.
Another study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases found that 20% of patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease also suffered from depression.
A patient with CKD may or may not be on dialysis, and the damage to the kidney may be reversible. CKD is a progressive disease that can move through five stages diagnosed by specific tests. Following stage five is End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). A patient diagnosed with ESRD requires ongoing dialysis or a kidney transplant. It’s not reversible.
As reported by the National Kidney Foundation, people with CKD (even in its earliest stages) who are unemployed, have diabetes or other chronic medical condition or have other mental health issues are more prone to experience depression.
Welcome New Help Therapy Mental Health Providers
These mental healthcare practitioners are new to our network and offer psychological evaluations as well as other types of therapy, with a range of specialties. They are accepting new patients and provide telehealth appointments. Most accept Medicare.
Arizona
Dr. Frank Bevacqua - Scottsdale
California
Kathryn Greene - Carlsbad
Dr. Jill Saulque - Cathedral City
Dr. Cindy Tafoya - Commerce
Dr. Adrian Rubly - Eastvale
Dr. Janelle Fisher - McClellan
Dr. Victoria Kuhl - Pasadena
Dr. Elaine Dove - San Diego
Washington
Dr. Linda Bowman - Lakewood
Featured Practitioner
Dr. Maya Bailey
Dr. Bailey has over 30 years of experience as a Clinical Psychotherapist. She works from the principle that symptoms of mental health issues are the result of subconscious self-limiting beliefs. Her unique approach helps patients identify, release and reprogram their beliefs through Subconscious Reprogramming.
Although her specialties include anxiety, addiction and depression, Dr. Baily treats patients with a wide range of challenges, including eating disorders, divorce, learning disabilities and more.
She’s recently become more involved with Veterans and finds satisfaction in helping them enjoy a life of well-being, increased confidence and success
This Month's Tip
What You Need to Know About 2022 Billing Code Changes
In our last newsletter, we talked about the No Surprise Act taking effect on January 1, 2022. This month, we address another billing-related change—telehealth codes.
Also as of January 1, 2022, mental healthcare providers are now required to use a new code showing where the therapy was provided when billing Medicare and other insurance providers.
Specifically, POS code 02 is revised and a new POS code 10 now exists. The previous definition of POS code 02 simply indicated that a telehealth service was provided. It didn’t specify where the patient was—at home, in a hospital, in a nursing home…
Now it makes a difference. When providing telehealth services to patients in their own homes, therapists should use POS code 10, not POS code 02.
However, POS 02 will continue to be used for patients in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Events
World Cancer Day
February 4, 2022
See World Cancer Day for more information.
Safer Internet Day
February 8, 2022
See Safer Internet for more information.
National Make a Friend Day
February 11, 2022
See National Today for more information.
Random Acts of Kindness Day
February 17, 2022
See Random Acts of Kindness for more information.
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
February 21-27, 2022
See NEDA for more information.
Partner With Us
Are you a psychologist, LCSW or LMFT?
We’re always looking for exceptional mental healthcare providers. Visit helptherapy.com for more information and fill out the quick and easy application.
Benefits:
Stream of new patients
Billing off your plate
Flexibility and Freedom
Credentialing assistance
No hidden costs
"Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.”
- Joubert Botha
Do you have something to share?
We’d love to hear about your successes and accomplishments!
Have you:
Written an article?
Given a presentation?
Been featured on a podcast?
Contact us at info@helptherapy.com.
We welcome your feedback.
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Have questions?
Want to learn more about Help Therapy?
Visit helptherapy.com, call 858-481-8827 or email info@helptherapy.com