Members of the Senate Committee on Health presented on Monday a new mental health reform act that aims to take a deeper look at mental illnesses in America. One in five adults in the country suffers from a mental illness, of which 60 percent are not receiving a proper diagnosis and treatment.
New proposals come from a bipartisan organization of the health cabinet. Chairman Lamar Alexander says that the objective is to create sovereign programs and policies, to incorporate proven systematic approaches to improve caring for patients with mental illness since the subject of mental illness “has been damaged for distant too long”.
He stressed that states like Tennessee are on “a forefront in treating mental illness”, so the legislation will provide support to governments, adding that some people might have comfortless consequences if they are in a “desperate” need of mental health caring and cannot get access to it.
“I’m gratified that Democrats and Republicans meant to mangle by a gridlock and determine on policies to assistance broach quality, integrated caring to neighbors, friends, and desired ones who onslaught with mental illness,” said Mr. Alexander on Monday, according to Heartzine.
This check represents one of the most relevant reforms that has been seen in Congress in the last decades, said Senator Chris Murphy, who will work alongside Republicans and Democrats on a HELP Committee to make it even stronger.
Mental Health Reform Act of 2016:
- Ensure that mental health care is provided to Americans with mental illnesses: with the collaboration of sovereign agencies and specialized departments.
- Promote the use of scientifically proven approaches: for treating mental illness, requiring experienced professionals.
- Increase accessibility to mental health care: veterans, homeless individuals, women, and children will be included in the programs.
Mental Illness in the United States: one in five adults suffers from a mental illness
Mental Illness refers to disorders that generally alter the mood, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to Mr. Alexander, just 40 percent of adults with mental illness in the country have received a proper diagnosis.
Depression is one the most common mental disorders in the country, says the National Institute of Mental Health. Last nationwide registers date to 2014 when it was determined that approximately 15.7 million adults in the United States had, at least, a major depressive episode during the year, which represents 6.7 percent of all adults.
Bernie Sanders is in the spotlight for joking about mental illness
He said at the Sunday’s Democratic debate that if he was elected he was going to invest “a lot of money” into mental health. The proposal was apparently cheered by the audience, however, he specified that Republican presidential candidates are in need of mental health care, which can be seen as insulting by people with mental illness.
“And when you watch these Republican debates, you know why we need to invest in mental health,” Mr. Sanders said on Sunday at the Democratic debate.
Source: Heartzine