Fighting for Patients In a Broken Mental Health System with Dr. Alice Feller, MD [Episode 142]

Dr. Alice Feller, MD speaks with Paul Krauss MA LPC about her experiences working as a psychiatrist both within the public mental health system and private practice. Dr. Feller discusses the barriers inside the current system that are diminishing care to helping those who are most afflicted by mental health concerns. Dr. Feller tells stories of those she has worked to help and how some healthcare policies, current laws, and ignorance of mental health conditions negatively affect those seeking care of severe mental illnesses such as Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. Dr. Feller and Paul discuss the correlations between homelessness and those suffering from mental illnesses.

According to Dr. Feller, author of American Madness: Fighting for Patients In a Broken Mental Health System, the deinstitutionalization movement (especially the obscure "16-bed law" regarding public federal healthcare funding) caused many of the homelessness issues we see today, and that mental illness and addiction don't necessarily cause homelessness — but that homelessness often triggers or exacerbates mental illness and addiction. What's more, most treatment for serious mental illness and addiction is doled out in American prisons, an issue which criminalizing homelessness would only worsen.

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Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post,&