Next Doors: Supporting the Mind and Heart
Jewish Family & Children’s Service rises to meet the mental health crisis
Jewish Family & Children’s Service is entering its 90th year of existence. And unfortunately, it’s busier
than ever.
That’s because one of the most significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was on mental health. Anxiety and depression, in particular, spiked during the pandemic. According to the World Health Organization, the first year of the pandemic alone saw a 25 percent increase in these conditions globally.
The trend held true in the United States as well. According to the American Psychological Association, the pandemic spurred higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation — especially among younger people, but across age and societal spectrums as well. This created an increased need for mental and behavioral health services in our community, too, which JFCS is working to meet.
Lorrie Henderson, Ph.D., the president & CEO of JFCS, said that their caseload increased from about 40,000 individuals annually to 50,000 to 52,000 annually over the course of the past few years.
“We were fortunate,” he said. “We had already started telehealth and tele-behavioral health, so when COVID hit, we were ready to go. Our numbers didn’t go down during COVID because we were able to serve people remotely when they couldn’t come into clinics.”
JFCS is multifaceted, offering services that span behavioral health, child welfare and older adult care. “Roughly 60 percent of what we do is in behavioral health,” Henderson said. “We also have child welfare services, such as working with foster kids, in-home counseling, family reunification and supervised visitation.”
JFCS has played a vital role in the community for its nearly 90 years, providing a broad range of services to people in need, regardless of age, economic status or religion. However, about 90 to 95 percent of those the organization serves are below the poverty line. And they face a common challenge when it comes to accessing the medical care they need.
“Before COVID, transportation was always the biggest barrier,” Henderson said. “People don’t want to sit at a bus stop in 100-degree heat to go to an appointment, especially if it’s an appointment they’re anxious about. Telehealth has helped remove that barrier.”
The mental health crisis is especially prevalent among children and adolescents, a group that JFCS has always served in large numbers.
“The majority of our behavioral health services are for children,” Henderson said. “Their problems have been exacerbated by the disruptions and isolation caused by the pandemic. We’re seeing increases in everything from depression to substance abuse among young people.”
But at the other end of the spectrum, as the baby boomer generation ages JFCS has seen increased demand for services for older adults.
“We’re seeing a rise in financial need and emotional support for older adults,” Henderson said, pointing to the struggles of those on fixed incomes facing increased living costs. JFCS has responded by providing food, emotional support and psychological services to help seniors maintain their quality of life.
In fact, the Arizona State Senate has recently appointed Henderson to a panel aimed at improving services for vulnerable adults. “We’ll be making recommendations to improve the delivery of services for older adults, especially in areas like adult protective services,” he said.
One of the most significant developments in the mental health space is the federal push for mental health parity, which requires insurance companies to treat mental health conditions on the same level as physical health issues.
“Mental health has always been looked down on, treated as less important than physical health,” Henderson said. “But mental health is just as important. Whether it’s depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, these conditions need to be treated just like diabetes or kidney disease.”
The parity rules, which were finalized in September, are a step in the right direction. “Insurance companies will now be held accountable for treating mental health with the same priority as physical health, and that’s a huge win for the people we serve,” Henderson said.
Despite the increased demand for services, JFCS has worked to adapt and continue serving the community. One innovation has been providing tablets to clients who lack access to technology, ensuring they can attend their telehealth appointments.
“We buy tablets, give them to clients, and most return them when they’re done,” Henderson said. “It’s a longer-term investment, but it’s worth it to ensure people get the treatment they need.”
Looking ahead, Henderson does not foresee a decrease in the demand for mental health services anytime soon.
“Unfortunately, I don’t see this issue going away. We’re seeing political fracturing, economic stress, wars and more. These kinds of pressures lead to more mental health struggles,” he said. “We need to continue helping people get through it.”
To learn more, go to jfcsaz.org.
