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In Uncertain Times, Values Show the Way

5/13/2025

1 Comment

 
By Bart Magee, Ph.D.
At this moment in the US, many people are experiencing a deep sense of uncertainty about the country’s direction. Political leadership feels fractured, polarization and instability rule, and public trust in institutions continues to erode. An affordability crisis and a growing wealth gap headline the economic story. The actions of the executive branch increasingly stretch the limits of power, raising alarms about threats to civil liberties and democratic norms. All of it reinforces a deeper emotional current—anxiety, disorientation, hopelessness and a pervasive feeling of impotence.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about the current moment and hearing about these, and other emotional impacts that people are weathering and wondering what I can offer from a psychological perspective. I’ve had many ideas, but I keep coming back to one: Values. In times of upheaval, maintaining a robust connection to core values is not only personally grounding but socially essential. History shows that in moments of radical change, it is our values—articulated, tested, shared and reimagined—that offer a path forward. They help individuals reclaim a sense of agency and belonging, and they give communities a moral framework through which to assess, challenge, and reconfigure the systems around them. 

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Bridging Psychoanalysis and Community: An Interview with Audrey Dunn, LCSW, Access Institute’s Spectrum 2025 Community Service Awardee

2/27/2025

1 Comment

 
By Bart Magee, Ph.D
For over three decades, Audrey Dunn, LCSW, has worked at the intersection of psychoanalytic thinking and community mental health. From her early training in adolescent day treatment centers to her long-standing work in public schools, Dunn has remained committed to integrating deep psychological understanding with the real-world needs of marginalized children and families. Audrey has been a member of Access Institute's volunteer faculty since the training program's inception in 2004. She has served as teacher, supervisor, school program consultant and advisor.
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There are few individuals who embody the commitment to training, deep thinking and community work than Audrey. We are pleased to honor her on March 20th 2025 at Access Institute’s Spectrum Gala.
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I recently sat down with Audrey to get to a better understanding of the nuances of her work and to reflect on our shared values. In this interview, Audrey reflects on her professional journey, the challenges of working within public systems, and the enduring value of psychoanalytic thought in schools. 

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What We Got Wrong About Telehealth for Therapy

1/27/2025

4 Comments

 
By. Bart Magee, Ph.D.
​While promising increase access, the teletherapy boom has left us with greater disparities
It’s no secret that teletherapy has radically transformed mental health care delivery. Widely viewed with skepticism by mental health professionals just a few years ago, telepsychiatry has taken over mental health care. The once-iconic image of a patient on the couch has morphed into a meme of therapy sessions through a screen.

As the telehealth tidal wave surged during the COVID-19 lockdowns, it came with lofty promises for its potential to reduce disparities in access to care. Five years later, the research is in and the results are truly disturbing. In spite of the initial hope of increased access and equity, just the opposite has occurred. 
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While higher income groups have taken advantage of the technology, increasing their access to therapy, vulnerable populations – low-income families, non-white communities, older adults, the unemployed and individuals with severe mental illness have not. Rather than closing the access gap, teletherapy has widened it.
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How did we get it so wrong and what can be done to reverse the trend?  ​

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The High Costs of Mental Health Care: A Barrier, A Burden and a Call to Action

10/22/2024

1 Comment

 

​By Bart Magee, P.h.D.

A major barrier to accessing mental health care has always been stigma. Thanks to successful advocacy efforts and a cultural shift surrounding mental health, the stigma associated with seeking treatment has gradually diminished. That’s something to celebrate. At the same time, it highlights today’s most pressing issue: the high cost of treatment remains a barrier for too many people. This requires urgent action and Access Institute is leading the way on multiple fronts. Here’s an update:  
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Why do costs remain so high? Supply and demand are way out of balance. Therapy is increasingly viewed as essential not only for those struggling with mental health disorders, but also as a valuable resource for personal development, increasing demand. On the other hand, the education and training pipeline for mental health professionals has not grown significantly.
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Another culprit is insurance companies who keep reimbursement for treatment low. Despite a federal mental health parity law enacted over 15 years ago, insurance plans still limit coverage for mental health treatment.
Those who do manage to begin therapy often cannot afford to keep going. A 2022 survey of 1,000 adults in therapy from Verywell Mind, found that seventy percent of people either limited their sessions or temporarily suspended treatment to due to cost and almost half were worried about continuing to pay.

This is why I’m proud of Access Institute and the work it does every day to remove the cost burden and make care accessible and affordable to all San Franciscans.

​Demand for our low-fee services continues to grow. Calls to our intake line jumped by 55% this year and remain at a high volume. Callers are reaching out seeking individual therapy, couples' treatment, psychological assessment and psychiatry services.

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Proposition 1, Care Courts and Conservatorship –“Controversy” Eclipses the Opportunity

4/2/2024

3 Comments

 
By Bart Magee, Ph.D.
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After a close election, Proposition 1, the bond measure sponsored by Governor Newsom to provide billions for mental health and substance abuse-related housing and treatment, passed. This comes on the heels of the recent establishment “Care Courts”, and changes in conservatorship laws, which will allow, for the first time in decades, compelled treatment for individuals with schizophrenia and other forms of  severe mental illness. There is no question that these hotly debated proposals now being implemented add up to a paradigm shift in the approach to the treatment of severe mental illness. The question is: Will they work as intended?

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  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
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    • Annual Report
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    • Therapy
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    • Resources
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Events >
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