Identify and describe at least two competing needs impacting your selected healthcare issue. 

Critique and added section | NURS6053 | Walden University

Healthcare is a complex issue involving many competing needs. For my selected healthcare issue, which is access to mental health services in the United States, there are two main competing needs. The first need is the financial cost of providing quality mental health services. Mental health treatment can be expensive, especially for those without insurance or who have limited coverage for such treatments. This creates an economic hurdle that often prevents individuals from receiving necessary care, resulting in untreated mental illness and increased social and economic costs associated with it.

The second need impacting access to mental health services is a nationwide lack of resources dedicated to providing them. In many areas throughout the US, there simply aren’t enough trained professionals available to meet the demand for therapy and other treatments. This has created what some refer to as a “mental health crisis” in which underserved populations may not receive adequate care when needed due to long wait times or lack of providers altogether.

These two needs – financial cost and limited resources – must be taken into account if any significant progress is going to be made in ensuring more Americans have access to quality mental health services they deserve. To make sure everyone gets the help they need regardless of income or location requires innovative solutions that bridge this gap between availability and affordability while still prioritizing patient safety and well-being at all times.