Prof Double R

 Respond to Selena and Kalista while being respectful and sensitive to their viewpoints. Consider advancing the discussion in the following ways:

• Post an article, video, or visual to reinforce a peer’s idea or challenge them to see their point from a different perspective.
• Engage in conversation with your peers about whether you agree or disagree that advocacy helped the issue and what elements still exist. Consider asking a question or sharing your own personal experience.

Selena post

One issue in mental health that stands out to me is telehealth, especially when it comes to children. In the past, mental health appointments were mostly done in person, which wasn’t always convenient for families. Between work, school, extracurricular activities, and everyday responsibilities, finding time for appointments can be difficult. As a busy mom, I can definitely appreciate how much easier virtual appointments have made things.

Advocacy has helped expand access to telehealth, giving families more options when it comes to mental health care. The American Psychological Association continues to advocate for better insurance coverage, fewer restrictions, and fair reimbursement for virtual mental health services (APA Services, n.d.). I think these efforts are important because everyone should have access to mental health care, regardless of their location or circumstances.

My son attends both therapy and psychiatric appointments virtually, and I love the convenience of being able to fit them into our busy schedule. Just today, he had an appointment in the car after karate, and he was so tired he was falling asleep. When we have appointments at home, our animals can be a distraction. While I appreciate the flexibility of being able to attend appointments from almost anywhere, I sometimes wonder how much he is actually getting out of them when he isn’t fully focused.

I believe advocacy has made a positive difference in making mental health care more accessible, but I also think there is room for improvement. Convenience is wonderful, especially for busy families, but the quality of care is just as important. Being able to attend an appointment is one thing, but actually benefiting from it is another.

Kalista post

 

One current issue in mental health is access to care for children with autism. Many families have trouble finding services because of high costs, long waitlists, and not having enough providers in their area. When children cannot get the support they need, it can be rough. In the past autism was something that was written off a lot more and not as well understood therefore there were fewer resources available to help families find services. Over time, awareness has grown, and advocacy has helped create better access to care. According to Autism Speaks (2025), advocacy has helped support laws that improve healthcare coverage and services for people with autism. For example, advocates helped increase funding for autism services and improve Medicaid coverage for certain treatments in some states. Things like this has defiantly made huge waves in the advocacy for access to care for those with autism.

However there is still much work to be done because some families continue to struggle with finding affordable services that are consistent. As an RBT, I see how important it is for children with autism to receive consistent support. However, there is still a lot of turnover and burnout in this field. When staff leave because of stress, difficult working conditions, or a lack of support, it can make it harder for children to receive consistent services.