December 1986 - page 5

Mental Health Insurance Crisis

by: Amy Ludwin & \Va1ter Zeichner

Time seems to be rolling backwards in
the arena of mental health care for
Vermonters. There are proposed changes in
the works which will bring a return to less
freedom of choice for consumers due to
practices which will limit mental health care
providers. Regulation of the practice of
psychotherapy will be based not on skill and
competence or on the choices of consumers
but will be decided by insurance company
policies. On March 31, 1987, Blue
Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont will stop
reimbursing all policy holders and their
dependents for psychotherapy services
performed by Mental Health Counselors
(unlicensed psychotherapists). This change
will arbitrarily end an unwritten contract of
over 10 years in which a psychiatrist or
psychologist could extend his/her license to
cover a competent mental health counselor.
Many policy holders have been seen by
mental health counselors who are supervised
by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.

People who are currently in therapy
with a mental health counselor using their
BC/BS policy to cover payment will be
forced to pay out-of-pocket for their therapy
as well as to continue paying the same
amount for their BC/BS policy while
receiving less benefits from that policy.
Other choices will include negotiating a
lower fee with the therapist, getting a
different health plan, or getting a different
therapist. For those people who are unable
to negotiate a low enough fee ‘for their
therapy and who don‘t have a choice of
what health plan they hold(pcrhaps because
their policy is through their job) the only
choice will be to get another therapist who
is approved by BC/BS. Most of the people
affected this way will be lower income
people who cannot afford to enrich their
lives and to pay for the services they want,
and who do not have the power to by the
insurance coverage they want. For someone
in ongoing therapy this abrupt ending of an
important therapeutic relationship could not
only be painful and traumatic, but could

Chiltern Mtn. Club

Open House

On Saturday, December 13, the Chiltern
Mountain Club will be holding an Open
House at Pearl's in Burlington. It will begin
at 7-pm and will feature an informative
presentation on Chiltern activities past,
present, and future. Trip leaders and
members of the Club's Executive Committee
will be in attendance to answer your
questions.

Chiltern Mountain Club is New
England's largest lesbian/gay outing club,
with over 700 members. While headquartered
in the Boston area, activities are planned all
over the region by many volunteer leaders.
Club membership entitles one to receive the
monthly newsletter, which serves as a vehicle
informing members of upcoming trips.

Chiltern also is connected with
IGLOO-International Gay/Lesbian Outdoors
Organization - thus allowing sharing of

information on some trips. Last summer
Chiltern members participated in a Jamboree
In Ontario hosted by Out and Out of
Toronto. Another group spent several weeks
Cycling in the British Isles.

Most Chiltern events take place right
here in New England, where the trip leaders
Sim” lhcif SDecial places to enjoy a variety
of activities. The most popular sports are
C}'C_|l“g. hiking, skiing, and canoeing. Other
activities include rock climbing, windsurfing,
tennis, snowshocing. In this club if you
don‘ 59° Your favorite activity Iistcd, send

for a Trip Leader's Guide and set up your
0\Vn

offer a serious setback in the process of
regaining and maintaining mental health.

This effects our gay community. As an
oppressed minority, our right to choose how
we are in society is in constant jeopardy.
We know that personal beliefs figure
significantly in political choices. Mental
health counselors are committed to
supporting the empowerment of their clients
to free themselves from cultural stereotypes
and prescribed roles, which has powerful
political ramifications. Gay people are
actively engaged in representing and fighting
for personal liberty, to be who we are.
Many gay people have found psychotherapy
to be supportive in issues of coming out. self
acceptance and in many areas of life that
may or may not be specifically related to
being gay. The point is that here is a choice
that is important to many in our community
which is being threatened.

In January of 1986 a group of the
above mentioned unlicensed psychotherapist
came together to create Mental Health
Counselors of Vermont, Inc. One of this
groups first tasks was to identify the role of
counselors in Vermont and to gather
information on the training and competency
of counselors. The results of a statewide
survey showed counselors to be educated,
trained and supervised. The following
profile was developed from the survey
results. The average mental health counselor
is 38 years old with over 10 years experience
in the field; has a Masters degree in
Counseling from an accredited college or
university; has hundreds of hours of
advanced training in clinical aspects of
psychotherapy; is part of a multidisplinary
group psychotherapy practice which often
includes psychiatric nurses, psychologists and
social workers; is supervised by either a
licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. 68% of
these supervisors work as peers in the same.
group practicing as mental health counselors.
There are twice as many women who are
mental health counselors as men. The
majority of see a variety of clients, from
children to families to individual adults and

At this time there are not many
Vermonters in Chiltern, probably because not
many people in the lesbian/gay communities
have heard of it. Trips in Vermont have
been run by members from Connecticut and
Mass. for the past few years. Take the
time to come to I’ear|‘s on Saturday, Dec.
13th, and see what you've been missing.
Out In The Mountains is more than a
newspaper. Share your special Veriiinnt
knowledge with your sisters and brothers by
joining in our outing groups. See you thcie!
Chiltern Mountain Club thanks the owners
of Pearl's for making this Open House
possible. You can also write for information
to: Chiltern, Box 248, Hinesburg, Vermont
05461.

Peace 6* Justnce Center
135 College St.
( 1 night up)
Burlington 863-8526

Peace on
Earth Store

 

Holiday gift items: calendars. books, cards,
third world & local crafts, musical
instruments, constructive toys.
Dee. Hours: M-F 10-9, Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5

groups. the approaches to treatment are
diverse, drawing upon several styles and
theoretical orientations depending upon
training, supervision, and the needs of the
clients. The problems mental health
counselors work with are mainly depression,

substance abuse, incest, eating disorders,‘

chronic illness and families in crisis. 58% of
the clients served are currently covered by
BC/BS policies.

Quality of care, reduced_ premiums, and
accessibility of practitioners have all been
named by BC/BS as reasons for this change
in policy. We cannot see lioiv this move will
adequately address any of these issues. If
quality of care is truly a concern, we should
create a review board made up of
professional providers as well as consumers
and representatives from the insurance
business community. Mental health
counselors and the average charge 20% less
than psychiatrists and psychologists, so it
seems impossible that money will he saved.
This change will only make providers less
accessible since the consequence of the
proposed change will be to drive some
practitioners out of business thus limiting
the services available. If BC‘/BS _is allowed
to follow through with this proposal then it
is fair to assume that other insurance
companies will follow suit, strengthening this
repressive trend.

This issue is very much alive. We invite
and encourage you to participate in shaping
the future of health care in Vermont. Ilere
is a list of some people you can contact
about this issue.

The Banking and Insurance Department

State Legislators

Gretchen Morse, Sec. of the Agency of

Human Services.

Governor Kunin

Congressmen

Vermont Assoc. for Mental Health

Blue Cross/Blue Shield

All of these people and agencies are
accessible to the public, and can be located
through the state government directory or
your phone book.

ANNOUNCEMENT

STATEWIDE LESBIAN/GAY
COALITION MEETING PLANNED

DATE: February lst, 1987

PLACE: South Royalton House

AGENDA

10:30-12:00 Separate Meeting

12100-1100 Lunch Break

1:00-2:00 Workshops

2:00-2:15 Break

2:15-3:30 Joint Meeting

3:30-4:30 Movie (TBA)

The workshops will be "Legislative
Process" by Heather Wishik and "Grassroots
Organizing“ by Louise Brill and Jim Morgan,
The meetings Co-Facilitators will be Susan
(234-9589) and Keith (454-8552).