Bridging the Gap: How Reliable Transportation Improves Access to Healthcare and Mental Health Services

As  simple as getting a ride to a healthcare appointment sounds, it’s not so easy for many. Studies routinely find lack of transportation as a barrier to receiving healthcare (in 2017, 5.8 million people in the United States delayed receiving healthcare services due to transportation barriers and that number since increased due to COVID-19). This social determinant of health (SDoH)–in this case transportation–overwhelming affects historically underrepresented populations , according to the National Library of Medicine. A lack of or unreliable transportation can lead to negative health outcomes as well as late-stage diagnosis of certain medical conditions, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports.

And mental health is no different. Unreliable transportation was the most frequently documented SDoH for people seeking mental health services, specifically those with substance abuse, says the National Library of Medicine. “NEMT is particularly important for people with mental illness, since behavioral health services are the most frequently cited reason for using NEMT,” The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states.

“For many, having reliable, affordable transportation to and from medical appointments can be a major hurdle to accessing mental health care. Each year, millions of people miss medical appointments due to unavailable or unaffordable transportation. This limits opportunities for individuals to manage their health needs,” (NAMI) reports.

“Mental health is one of those programs that’s been quiet for a while, but we don’t realize how many people really need help,”

Substance abuse treatment among teenagers and adults, in particular, has become a growing service.

Sometimes a ride is all they need to start feeling better, Torres says. “One client stopped going to his recovery program but after I spoke with him one day, he was so happy knowing it was us who could take him to his program again.

Conclusion
Mental health services are increasingly in demand (the CDC reports that more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder in their lifetime). Therefore, getting access to these services is paramount, and transportation providers, like umeritus, are making it a reality.