Healing A Broken Mental Health System: Dr Lina Haji On 5 Things That Can Be Done To Fix Our Broken Mental Health System
An Interview With Stephanie Greer
We need early intervention. Schools are the best place to start because children are still developing and if we provide preventative care, we can avoid a lot of future mental health problems. Schools should be equipped with training, resources, and staff to provide mental health education and treatment to children and adolescents.
The current state of the mental health system is a conversation that echoes in the halls of policymaking, the corners of social advocacy, and within the private struggles of individuals and families. As we continue to witness an unprecedented need for robust mental health support, the shortcomings of the existing system become more glaring. It is within this backdrop that we seek the insight of those who are at the forefront of behavioral health. In this interview series, we are talking to behavioral health leaders, policymakers, mental health practitioners, advocates, and reformers to share their perspectives on healing our broken mental health system. As a part of this interview series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Lina Haji
Dr. Lina Haji is a licensed clinical psychologist and licensed mental health counselor specializing in psychodiagnostic assessment, forensic assessment, dual diagnosis, serious and persistent mental illness, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and substance abuse treatment.
Dr. Haji completed a master’s degree in forensic psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Albizu University, and a doctorate in clinical psychology with a forensic emphasis from Albizu University. Her training includes inpatient and outpatient settings, private forensic practice, and an APA accredited pre-doctoral internship. She was trained at the master’s and doctoral level in the assessment and treatment of individuals ranging from mild psychiatric symptoms to those with serious and persistent mental illness, dually diagnosed patients, as well as personality disordered patients and psychopathy.
Her clinical experience over the last 20 years includes working with mentally ill and dually diagnosed adults in inpatient and outpatient settings including correctional facilities, substance abuse rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, psychiatric hospitals and private practice in four states, NY, NJ, CA, and FL. In addition, she has supervised master’s level clinicians, post-doctoral residents, and served as clinical director for a 500-patient maximum-security correctional facility. Her ultimate goal as a psychologist, regardless of population, is to accurately diagnose and identify patient strengths and areas for growth in order to better individualize treatment needs and goals.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?
I am a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist originally from New York, New York currently practicing in Miami, Florida. I knew I wanted to be a psychologist at the age of 9 after struggling with my own mental health battles as a child. My career has focused primarily on working with underserved, low-income populations. I have worked mostly in prisons as well as private practice, hospitals, clinics, and community mental health settings. My biggest goal in practicing psychology is correctly diagnosing people in order to provide them with the best treatment for them to reach their optimal mental health.
My parents worked for the United Nations for over 40 years. It was instilled in me at a very young age that no matter what career path I choose, I am to provide services to others-particularly underserved populations. I am forever grateful to my parents for providing me with this framework. It has enabled me to create an amazing career focused on helping others.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite life lesson quote is, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress” by Frederick Douglass. Throughout my life, I have had my fair share of struggles much like everyone else. However, through access to resources and support, I have been able to view and turn those struggles into progress. In addition, I have managed to carry that message to patients, supervisees, colleagues, friends, and students. It has been an absolute privilege to pass that life lesson on.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. It is often said that “the mental health system in America is broken”. What does that statement mean to you? From your perspective what is “broken” today?
As someone who has worked primarily in jails, prisons, and with largely underserved populations, I have witnessed first-hand how “broken” the mental health system is America. Often times, individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds do not receive any form of mental health treatment until they come in contact with the criminal justice system. The irony is that a lot of these arrests could have been prevented had they accessed treatment prior. So many Americans are without health insurance or with poor health insurance, which prohibits them from accessing appropriate mental health interventions and treatment. Public schools are also largely overpopulated, under resourced, and teachers are stretched thin. This causes child and adolescent Americans to slip through the cracks when they are experiencing or displaying mental health symptoms. In addition, community mental health centers, psychiatric clinics and mental health in correctional facilities are largely under resourced. This results in lack of care, poor care, and untimely care. The cycle then perpetuates itself.
What about any bright spots? Do you think there are any elements that we get right in today’s world that we wouldn’t want to reverse unintentionally?
I believe there are many practitioners (psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, and therapists) who work extremely hard, care about their patients, and are doing what they can to serve others in this “broken” system. It is my fear that if we don’t appropriately pay and support these practitioners, they may burn out and leave the field. If we don’t provide reinforcements and systems that support these individuals in every way possible, we may risk losing this bright spot.
In your opinion, what are the 5 most impactful things that could help heal the broken mental health system? These could be on any level including training, workforce, policy, culture, equity etc.
1 . We need early intervention. Schools are the best place to start because children are still developing and if we provide preventative care, we can avoid a lot of future mental health problems. Schools should be equipped with training, resources, and staff to provide mental health education and treatment to children and adolescents.
2 . The health care insurance field needs a drastic overhaul. We should not be basing access to care on what an individual or family can afford. Healthcare is a human right, and no one should be denied appropriate mental health care. Medical and mental health care should not be solely motivated by profit.
3 . Efforts need to be made to de-stigmatize mental health struggles. Even in 2023, I find that shame and guilt surrounding mental health is prevalent. We need to provide education and access to normalize mental health.
4 . Correctional facilities should not be privatized. Profits over people is egregious. Most inmates are not serving life sentences and will be released back to the community at some point. Whether we are politically conservative or liberal, it is in everyone’s interest to provide appropriate mental health treatment and rehabilitation services to inmates in order to ameliorate society as a whole.
5 . Pay mental health practitioners an appropriate living wage. I know many mental health practitioners of all levels (M.D., Ph.D., master’s level etc.) who are barely earning a living wage. School loans for advanced degrees cost a criminal amount of money. If we are going to continue charging individuals to obtain a higher education, then we have to make it worth their while and pay them appropriately.
If all of the items on your list were magically implemented tomorrow what change might we see in the world? What are the signs (big and small) that would show us that the system is being healed?
Everyone would have immediate access to proper mental health care.
What is a project you or others are working on today that gives you hope? How can our readers learn more about this work?
I am currently running my own private practice, Rise Psychological Services. It is my goal to grow to the point where my employees and I can provide free and low-cost services to underserved populations. I can be reached at www.risepsychological.com.
How do you see technology shaping the future of mental health care and its accessibility?
Technology has been extremely vital to mental health. Individuals in rural areas are now able to receive care virtually. Care is being delivered at a faster pace due to telehealth services and electronic medical records. If technology is utilized effectively and efficiently, it will only broaden access to people.
In your view, how do social factors like poverty, education, and culture affect mental health care and its effectiveness?
Poverty is one of the leading factors contributing to, if not causing, mental health problems. Too often, I work with patients who have no medical insurance and no access to providers. In addition, individuals living in chronic poverty are often subjected to ongoing violence and trauma, lack of support, food insecurity, poor education, and a multitude of other factors that greatly negatively affect mental health.
In light of the growing mental health crisis among young people, what innovative approaches or interventions have proven most successful for children and adolescents?
As mentioned, early intervention is key with children and adolescents. It is imperative that we provide psychoeducation in schools in order for individuals to recognize early warning signs of mental health difficulties. As far as interventions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is scientifically proven to have high success rates with a multitude of mental health symptoms and populations. De-stigmatizing mental health and creating safe spaces for young people to talk about their problems openly is vital to preventing future mental health crises and conditions.
Are there any books, podcasts, or other resources that have helped you understand or manage your condition better?
The Child Mind Institute has a great list of books about mental health for children and teens. For adults, I recommend The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, An Unquiet Mind, Man’s Search for Meaning, and 3 Ideas that Could Change Your Life. Podcasts include The Positive Psychology Podcast, The Revealing the Ivory Tower Podcast, and Something was Wrong Podcast. If someone is experiencing psychiatric symptoms (that are not in crisis) I recommend searching for a therapist on PsychologyToday or talking to their primary care physician for a mental health practitioner recommendation.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. :-)
I would love to have a discussion with NY DJ and mental health advocate Charlamagne tha God. I have been listening to him on NY radio for over 15 years and respect his mental health advocacy work. I would like to talk to him about social media misconceptions and prison reform.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
IG: Rise_Psychological_Services
Website: www.risepsychological.com
YouTube: Rise Psychological Services
Thank you for your time and thoughtful answers. I know many people will gain so much from hearing this.
About The Interviewer: Stephanie Greer, PhD is the Co-founder and CEO of Akin Mental Health — a company dedicated to guiding families on their journey supporting a loved one with mental health challenges like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and severe depression. Stephanie is passionate about this topic from her own personal experience growing up with a mother who struggled with bipolar 1 disorder and found a path forward to overcome the obstacles and live well. Stephanie’s professional experience includes a doctorate in neuroscience as well as design research roles at Hopelab and Apple. Stephanie brings this personal passion together with her world-class science and technology background to support families across the US in their personal journeys supporting loved ones with mental illness. To learn more about Akin Mental Health and join our community, visit us at akinmh.com.
