Support Elizabeth's Attempt to Obtain Better Therapy

Hi. I'm Elizabeth. For the past fifteen months, I have been living in a nursing home. As a result, I have had my income cut from over $1300 a month to just $55.

I do not keep it secret that I struggle with major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder (not otherwise specified), and borderline personality disorder. According to what the facility tells the insurance, they have my primary care, dental, vision, and mental health care covered. But the mental health service here is crap. They make sure I get my meds, but for therapy, I get to see a woman on a tablet for 10 minutes every two months or so. And yes, I have tried advocating for more. Instead, they sent me a psychiatrist on a weekly basis (psychiatrists are usually the med providers, the psychologists/social workers are the ones who provide therapy). And yes, I have tried to contact the ombudsman. I was told that if I attempted to make appointments outside the facility, that I would have to pay for them out of pocket. When I felt my concerns were not sufficiently addressed by the local ombudsman, I tried to have them addressed by the state ombudsman, but calls to the state ombudsman send me through an inexorably long series of automated menus that put me into the voice mail of...the local ombudsman.

So I've resorted to attempting to use BetterHelp to get my therapy until I can move out of the facility (which will be happening in the next few weeks...I am thisclose). They normally charge people $65 a week to utilize their services. They gave me a reduced rate based on my income of $55 a month.

The reduced rate was $48.75 a week.

How they expect me to come up with $48.75 a week when I make $55 a month is beyond me, which is why I'm turning to you.

Until then, I need your help.

Thank you for reading/listening.