Where Are the Helpers? - By A Tired Parent

Living in a rural area, the options for Mental and Behavioral Health providers who work with youth and are covered by our insurance were very limited. We found a provider in another state (and another time zone), but the quality was severely lacking. The providers closer to home were not trained or professionally/personally able to work with my neurodivergent, LGBTQ+ child, and this caused a lot of disruption in care. I was shocked and disappointed at how many providers could not provide a safe space for my child's mental health care. When we did find a fantastic psychiatrist, we had to travel a long distance across multiple counties, taking many country roads, to access care. Where are the helpers, and why is it so hard to find quality care in our area?

Our family needs access to quality counselors, therapists, and psychologists who embrace diversity and can work with neurodivergent and/or LGBTQ+ youth.