Jesus frickin' Christ

[sienamystic]

I am about ready to scream, or weep, or do both simultaneously. I've been phoning around for the past three days to try and find Bemo a shrink who can refill his meds. However, there is apparently not a doctor in the entire frigging state of Virginia who is accepting new patients. Either that, or they don't return phone calls. I've branched out into phoning DC doctors, despite the potential difficulty getting to their offices, and still no luck. An angry phone call to the insurance company got me very little - some mild sympathy and an offer to email me a list of doctors. Since I think she was searching for a list of doctors in exactly the same way I was (the company's website), I have little faith that I will find a motherload of doctors ready and willing to take on new patients.

What was even more frustrating was the return phone call from one of the doctors, who said that he did indeed have a couple of spaces open, but that he's "out of town often" and that he thought Bemo "needed somebody on a more regular basis" and therefore refused to take him on. I asked, with a definite quiver in my voice at this point, if he would at least take him on long enough to get him a refill on his meds, but he said no to that as well, wished me luck, and I did my best not to slam the phone down on his ear as hard as I possibly could. Fuck you, dude. You're making a judgement about what he needs based on a five minute conversation with the potential patient's wife, and you just...turn him away? I hope your holiday is full of backed up septic tanks and expensive automobile repairs.

Bemo needs to see somebody - not just for his meds but to talk to about his current, probably holiday-induced depression. And I can't fucking find somebody to help him.

Off to make more phone calls.

Eta: A dr. just phoned me back, and said sympathetically but unhelpfully that it was hard to get doctors to see HMO clients because "they just made it really cost-ineffective." And now I am crying.

Comments

[majkia.livejournal.com]

Is there a mental health organization near you? Call them. Also, how about the Health Department? We have a state health department here. And docs at the local mental health agency can do scripts after they see someone. Ours also has an emergency centre for just such emergencies.

Also, if there is a Crisis/Hotline they may well have a good referral database to look at.

If none of those things work try the local United Way offices. They often have a good referral database too.

Good luck.

If you want, send me privately what town you are in. I may be able to have our folks look at their mental health organziation referral database and see what is near to you.

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

I'm in Northern Virginia - Alexandria, to be exact. I'm not sure who the local mental health agency would be, but my husband might, as he did his time in the state mental health system back in the day.

Thanks for any assistance and heck, thanks for the kind words - I'm so incredibly frustrated right now that I don't know if I'm thinking straight.

[(Anonymous)]

Gen, I have a list of area shrinks I can get you a copy of. I know Becca will also know folks. Let me know if you need it. :)

Cher

[majkia.livejournal.com]

Okay, here are some numbers we came up with looking at our national book on mental health agencies:

Alexandria Community Services: 703-838-6400 (this number is also given for an aftercare Emergency Services POC)

and

Alexandria Mental Health Agency 703-838-4706

There was also mention of something called Contact Virginia. Maybe a website or something? No idea at present on that one.

Hopefully even if these folks can't help, they can give you some more ideas.