Mental Health Crisis: Acadia Healthcare has rapidly grown as a for-profit mental health provider but faces serious concerns about prioritizing profits over patient care, as seen in individual cases like Cathy McKenzie’s.
Acadia Healthcare is a major for-profit chain of psychiatric hospitals in the United States, formed to fill gaps left by nonprofit systems and government closures of psychiatric wards. With the boost from Obamacare requiring mental health coverage, the company has rapidly grown to be worth $7 billion. However, beneath this growth lies troubling reports of patient care and decision-making that prioritize profits over the well-being of vulnerable individuals in crisis. Investigative efforts revealed similar complaints about the treatment received by patients in various states, highlighting systemic issues in mental health care services. The story of Cathy McKenzie, a school social worker with bipolar disorder, exemplifies the personal impact of these larger systemic problems in the mental health care sector, as patients often find themselves trapped in systems focused on profitability rather than genuine care.
Mental Health Journey: Kathy's journey highlights the complexities of managing mental health, showing that moving and stress can trigger challenges. Her experience at the hospital during the pandemic underlines the urgent need for effective mental health care and support systems.
Kathy has faced mental health challenges, including bipolar disorder, and initially coped well with medication and a support system. However, after moving to Florida during the pandemic, her mental state began to deteriorate, showing signs of increased mood and rapid speech. Concerned, her family urged her to seek medical advice. Despite her reluctance, she went to an emergency room but was unexpectedly sent to another hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. This experience reflects the growing mental health crisis many face and the pressing need for appropriate care, especially during stressful times like moving and global events like the pandemic. Kathy’s journey emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing mental health needs, showcasing how personal struggles can lead to a commitment to helping others through social work.
Involuntary Commitment: Kathy experienced involuntary commitment to a behavioral facility despite her honest answers. This trapped feeling left her questioning her life and future amid strict routines and isolation, highlighting the surreal and frightening nature of the situation.
Kathy went to a medical evaluation but felt uneasy when they asked her questions about suicidal thoughts and her safety. Despite her honest answers, she found herself involuntarily committed to a behavioral health facility. This experience left her feeling trapped and scared, as she faced strict routines and isolation. The atmosphere was surreal, marked by a repetitive showing of the movie Jumanji. She repeatedly expressed her need for rights and contact with her family, but was dismissed by the staff who seemed to see her as problematic. This experience of being locked away against her will profoundly affected her sense of control and future, making her question her life’s path, despite never having issues with the law before. Feeling disoriented and scared, Kathy realized the harsh reality of being treated as a patient in a behavioral facility without having any means of escape or communication.
Profit Over Care: Kathy's ordeal in a mental health facility reveals how profit-driven organizations like Acadia prioritize earnings over patient care, leading to inadequate treatment for those in need.
Kathy's experience highlights the troubling reality of mental health facilities like Acadia, where profit often overshadows patient care. Forced into a closed environment without proper treatment, Kathy uses coping techniques such as prayer and journaling to maintain some control over her situation. Acadia employs aggressive marketing to attract patients, targetting those in crisis and convincing emergency responders to direct patients to their facilities. Their focus on maximizing patient admissions and stay lengths raises serious ethical concerns about mental health treatment and the quality of care provided. It underscores a broader issue in the mental health system where business interests seemingly prioritize profits over the well-being of vulnerable individuals.
Patient Exploitation: Acadia exploits emergency departments by incentivizing staff to refer patients for hospitalization, often extending stays unnecessarily to maximize insurance profits, raising serious ethical concerns about their practices.
Acadia is a healthcare provider that targets overwhelmed emergency departments by sending assessors to evaluate patients for hospitalization. However, these assessors are incentivized to refer patients to Acadia, leading to ethical concerns. Once patients are admitted, Acadia often keeps them longer than necessary to maximize insurance payments, using tactics like exaggerating symptoms and filing legal petitions to extend stays. These practices create significant profit for the company at the expense of patients' rights and well-being, revealing serious flaws in the system that prioritize financial gain over proper care.
Profit Over Care: For-profit mental health care can lead to prolonged patient confinement for financial gain, often neglecting proper care, as seen in North Tampa's Acadia hospitals. Reports reveal similar troubling experiences among families, highlighting significant concerns in the system.
In North Tampa, only 54 out of over 4,500 petitions for patient release from behavioral hospitals were granted, indicating that nearly all patients experienced extended confinement. This practice seems driven by profit motives rather than patient needs, as employees reported pressure to maximize insurance payments. Instead of focusing on appropriate care, the system prioritized financial gain. Vulnerable patients, often in crisis, were overlooked and their concerns dismissed, creating a harmful environment. Many families reported similar negative experiences with Acadia hospitals, showcasing a troubling pattern in for-profit mental health care. There are resources available, like Protection and Advocacy Agencies, to help patients. However, the effectiveness and authority of these watchdogs remain uncertain.
Kathy's Trauma: Kathy's traumatic ordeal in a psychiatric hospital led to PTSD and a lost faith in mental health care. Her experience highlights systemic failures and the need for meaningful reform to better protect and support individuals in distress.
Kathy's experience in a psychiatric hospital left her traumatized and shattered her faith in the mental health system. After a week in a locked facility, she struggled with PTSD, flashbacks, and fear, finding daily life overwhelming. Her ordeal highlights serious issues in mental health care, where advocacy often fails to bring about change, leaving victims feeling abandoned and fearful. Kathy's story reflects a broader concern about the effectiveness of mental health services and the impact on individuals who become trapped in the system. Despite being released, she now has a clear plan to avoid emergency rooms altogether. Kathy's transformation from hope to distrust emphasizes the urgent need for reform and support in mental health treatment, especially for vulnerable patients. It's a stark reminder of the importance of listening to patients' experiences and ensuring they receive the care and protection they truly need.
The Profitable Business of Holding Patients Against Their Will
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Hurricane Helene’s 600 Miles of Destruction
Warning: This episode contains strong language and descriptions of death.
Over the past few days, Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation, killing more than 100 people, driving thousands from their homes and leaving millions without power.
Judson Jones, a meteorologist and weather reporter for The Times, and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, a Times national reporter, discuss the toll left by the deadly storm.
Guest:
- Judson Jones, a meteorologist and reporter for The New York Times.
- Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, a national reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Hurricane Helene spawned flash floods and landslides as it barreled north after devastating parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
- In less than a day, Helene transformed from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 4. Read about how that happened so quickly.
For more information on today’s episode, visit
. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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Alliance vs. Isolation: Harris and Trump’s Competing Views on Foreign Policy
As wars in Ukraine and the Middle East deepen, the U.S. presidential campaign is raising a crucial question: Whose idea of American foreign policy will the world get next?
Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The Times, walks us through the plans put forward by Kamala Harris and by Donald J. Trump.
Guest: Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Ms. Harris met with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, signaling that the White House was preparing her to take over a thorny diplomatic relationship.
- Mr. Zelensky also met with Mr. Trump as concerns mount in Kyiv that a second Trump administration could spell the end of American support against Russia.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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The Deserter: Parts 4 and 5
In “The Deserter,” Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a captain in the Russian Army who fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped paint a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.
Narrated by Liev Schreiber.
“The Deserter” is a five-part special series in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine.
All five parts of this audio feature can be found here or by searching for “The Deserter” on the NYT Audio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
The text version of the story can be found here.
Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
The Deserter: Parts 1-3
In “The Deserter,” Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a captain in the Russian Army who fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled the war and his country with his wife, Anna. Topol spoke to 18 deserters while reporting in eight countries across four continents over the last year and a half; their experiences helped paint a vivid picture of the Russian war operation and its corruption, chaos and brutality.
Narrated by Liev Schreiber.
“The Deserter” is a five-part special series in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine.
Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
'The Interview': John Oliver Is Still Working Through the Rage
The Criminal Indictment of New York City’s Mayor
For the first time in New York history, federal prosecutors have indicted the city’s sitting mayor, accusing him of accepting illegal campaign donations and luxury gifts in return for political favors.
Emma Fitzsimmons, the City Hall bureau chief for The Times, discusses the rise and fall of Mayor Eric Adams.
Guest: Emma G. Fitzsimmons, the City Hall bureau chief for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- The indictment plunges Mr. Adams’s embattled administration further into chaos just months before he is set to face challengers in a hotly contested primary.
- Here are the two ways Mr. Adams could be forced from office.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
The Profitable Business of Holding Patients Against Their Will
Warning: This episode contains descriptions of captivity, mental-health trauma and suicidal thoughts.
A Times investigation into a leading chain of psychiatric hospitals in the United States reveals a world where profits trump medical needs, and patients are detained against their will.
Jessica Silver-Greenberg, an investigative reporter for the Business section of The New York Times, tells the story of one woman who was trapped inside.
Guest: Jessica Silver-Greenberg, an investigative reporter for the Business section of The New York Times.
Background reading:
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
The Slide Toward War in Lebanon
In the past few days, Israel has waged intense air raids in Lebanon, killing more than 600 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The Times, explains the origins of the spiraling conflict between Israel and its regional adversary Hezbollah.
Guest: Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Israel’s strikes on Lebanon are some of the deadliest in decades. Here is what we know about the bombardment.
- As Lebanon reels from Israeli attacks, the future is murky for a wounded Hezbollah.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
How the Cost of Housing Became So Crushing
Over the past year, frustration over the cost of housing in the United States has become a centerpiece of the presidential race, a focus of government policy and an agonizing nationwide problem.
Conor Dougherty, who covers housing for The Times, explains why the origin of the housing crisis is what makes it so hard to solve.
Guest: Conor Dougherty, who covers housing for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Why too few homes get built in the United States.
- A decade ago, Kalamazoo — and all of Michigan — had too many houses. Now it has a shortage.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
How Telegram Became the Underworld’s Favorite App
A Times investigation has found that Telegram, one of the world’s biggest messaging apps, with nearly a billion users, is also a giant black market and gathering place for the likes of terrorists and white supremacists.
Adam Satariano, a technology reporter for The Times, discusses the story of Telegram and the arrest of its founder, Pavel Durov.
Guest: Adam Satariano, a technology correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- How Telegram became a playground for criminals, extremists and terrorists.
- The criminal charges against Pavel Durov raised concerns in Silicon Valley about encryption and Telegram’s approach to privacy and security.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.