July 7, 2016 - WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) yesterday supported the passage of H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, a bill to reform America’s broken mental health system.
Rep. Denham is an original co-sponsor of the measure.“The conversation about mental health reform has been just that – a conversation – for too long,” said Rep. Denham. “Today we took a critical step forward to deliver care, resources and support to the nearly 10 million Americans that are currently coping with serious mental illness. Our mental health is just as important as physical health, and I’m proud to take this opportunity to turn discussions about change into meaningful outcomes for those living in the shadows of stigma and shame.”
Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), a clinical psychologist originally introduced the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act in the 113th Congress following a year-long investigation by the Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, of which Rep. Murphy is the Chairman. The investigation revealed significant flaws in America’s mental health system, including a shortage of 100,000 psychiatric beds, the systemic failure to report how federal mental health dollars are spent, duplicative and ineffective programs and bureaucratic policies that bar family members or caretakers of loved ones with mental illness from participating in treatment options.
The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act was reintroduced last year and has received overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as many groups in the medical and mental health fields, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association. The bill empowers parents and caregivers, amends the shortage of inpatient beds, expands the mental health workforce and establishes grant programs for research and treatment, amongst other crucial reforms. It additionally seeks to ensure that particularly susceptible populations, such as veterans and children, receive the support and resources they need.
For more information about H.R. 2646, click here.
Source: Congressman Jeff Denham
