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00000178-73c0-ddab-a97a-7bf830af0000From debate over childhood vaccinations to the changing business of hospital finance, IPR has the stories of hospitals and public health that affect northern Michigan.

Petoskey Counselor Believes Local Professionals Can Meet Demand For Mental Healthcare

Gwen Drews

  One-in-four Michiganders say they have been diagnosed at some point with depression or anxiety, but few people have had insurance coverage for treatment.

That changes next year. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more people will be covered under Medicaid and employer insurance plans.

Last week we reportedon research that shows doctors across the state see a lack of adequate mental health services. It raises the question: whether there will be enough practitioners to meet a pent-up demand. Two northern Michigan regions stuck out in the report, with numbers particularly bleak. One region of west includes Ludington. Another, at the Tip of the Mitt, had 77 percent of doctors report services are not adequate.

That prompted a response from listener Gwen Drews, a mental health counselor with Northstar Counseling & Herbals in Petoskey. She is much more optimistic about the availability of mental health services starting next year.

You can listen to our interview with Gwen Drews above.