Removing the Stigma Associated with Mental Health Illness to Expand and Facilitate Treatment
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2010 someone in the country died from suicide every 13.7 minutes. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 1 U.S. veteran commits suicide every 65 minutes. The Affordable Care Act made significant strides towards mental health insurance, but more can be done in the area of expanding treatment.
To combat suicide rates and mental health disorders that often go untreated, I support the following:
Reforms to expand access to mental health services for both veterans and civilians
Removing the stigma and/or embarrassment associated with mental health and seeking treatment through awareness campaigns on social media, print and visual media, and public advocacy
Pushing for adequate government funding for mental health and brain research to understand the causes of mental disorders and how to treat them
Fusing social and political advocacy together to promote the benefits of preventative mental health screenings, similar to routine cancer and diabetes screenings that are more socially acceptable, to promote and facilitate treatment
Early intervention programs that would teach young children in public schools about mental health and intervene at an early age to combat social stigma associated with mental health illness and treatment
The brain is one of the most important organs in your body, and it should be cared for just like people care for their liver, gall bladder or heart. Mental health treatment is no different and it is an issue that has been neglected for far too long in America. Let's work together to finally have a national discussion about mental health treatment and combat mental illness and suicide rates.