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Key TakeawaysThe elections are a good time to evaluate what the US government is doing to improve the mental health of the American people.Several live and proposed bills are working to increase access to effective and affordable care.Advocating for mental health reform can go a long way toward creating change.
Key Takeaways
The elections are a good time to evaluate what the US government is doing to improve the mental health of the American people.Several live and proposed bills are working to increase access to effective and affordable care.Advocating for mental health reform can go a long way toward creating change.
State of Mind is an ongoing series investigating the legislation and government policies impacting American mental health.
No matter where you live or where you fall on the political spectrum, mental health is one topic that’s important to all of us. With the midterm election this week, it’s a good time to reflect on what the federal government is doing—or trying to do—to expand mental health education and care for all.
It’s no secret that mental health is impacting Americans seemingly more than ever before. According to theNational Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI), one in five adults and one in six youth experience amental illnessin a given year.
So many incredible advocates and organizations are working to better the mental health of people across the United States. Yet, much of the responsibility around funds and awareness falls to the government. Luckily, this is one of very few issues garnering bipartisan support, with several bills in the works that have support from both sides of the political aisle.
“Our national, state, and local governments have the power to invest in programs that support those with mental illness, which will help to destigmatize,” saysDr. Zishan Khan, a psychiatrist withMindpath Health.
Below are five mental health-centered bills to know, four of which are still awaiting passage.
State of Mind: 5 Important Mental Health Bills We Can All Agree On
Mental Health Reform Reauthorization Bill
In May of 2022, senatorsChris Murphy (D-CT)andBill Cassidy (R-LA)introduced theMental Health Reform Reauthorization Billto the Senate floor.
Mental Health Matters Act
Zishan Khan, MD
The bill focuses on increasing mental health support for students, families, and educators across the country. Its rationale points to issues such as thepandemic’s negative impact on people’s mental healthand that each state fails to have the recommended student-to-social worker or student-to-psychologist ratio.
If enacted into law, this bill would:
Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022
Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)introduced theRestoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022in May. Shortly after,congressman David J. Trone (D-MD)co-sponsored it. It passed the House the following month in an incredible show of bipartisanship at402-20.
If signed into law, the act would:
“Increased awareness will lead to more resources being offered that can assist those that are seeking assistance or could potentially be helped,” Khan says of the need for greater educational programs.
Khan continues, “Eventually, this can lead to those suffering from mental health disorders being able to have greater access to proper health care, housing options, and educational and employment opportunities.”
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Resilience Investment, Support, and Expansion (RISE) From Trauma Act
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)introducedThe RISE From Trauma Actin 2021. If passed, it would accomplish the following:
Kathryn Smerling, PhD, a psychotherapist and family therapy professionalPeople who have not received mental health assistance or acknowledgment that mental health assistance is as important as getting a proper cast put on are those who may turn to things that could have a solution or be stopped before they start.
Kathryn Smerling, PhD, a psychotherapist and family therapy professional
People who have not received mental health assistance or acknowledgment that mental health assistance is as important as getting a proper cast put on are those who may turn to things that could have a solution or be stopped before they start.
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Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021
Veteran rates of PTSD are estimated to be between 11% and 20% across the United States. Additionally, according toNAMI, the last quarter of 2020 saw a 25% increase in veteran suicides compared to the same time period in 2019.
On June 30, 2021 President Biden signed theSgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021into law. It was named forSgt. Brandon Ketchum, who committed suicide in 2016 after an Iowa-based Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) center denied him mental health treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“People who have not received mental health assistance or acknowledgment that mental health assistance is as important as getting a proper cast put on are those who may turn to things that could have a solution or be stopped before they start,” saysDr. Smerling.
Congresswoman Cindy Axne (D-IA)first introduced the legislation in April 2021. It took only two months to pass the Senate and be enacted into law.The legislation has two parts.
Veteran organizationssuch as theDisabled American Veteransand theWounded Warrior Projectendorsed the law’s passage.
What This Means For You
You don’t have to sit and wait hoping these bills can get passed or make an impact. Your voice and actions matter on and after election day.
“Ultimately, we need to strive to keep our politicians cognizant of the importance of mental health care so that eventually, our society will view those suffering from mental illness as people worthy of our attention, compassion, and humanity," says Khan.
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