We Can Make a Deal or We Can Make a Difference

Press Release

Following the circulation of a Senate HELP mental health discussion draft, Congressman Tim Murphy released the following statement about Congress acting on crisis mental health reforms:

"When it comes to transforming the hopelessly failed federal mental health system, we can make a deal or make a difference. The House bill will make a profound difference by emphasizing early treatment for serious mental illness and psychiatric intervention for families in crisis," said Murphy. "To abandon House reforms supported by a bipartisan coalition of 185 members would be tantamount to abandoning patients with seriously mental illness and those who have devoted their lives to care for them."

Authored following an extensive Energy & Commerce congressional investigation sparked by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, H.R. 2646 overhauls the federal approach to treating mental health and for the first time focusing resources on helping those with the most serious mental illnesses get treatment before, during and after a psychiatric crisis. Gaining new support on a weekly basis, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act now has 185 bipartisan cosponsors, including 50 Democrats and 135 Republicans.

With over 30 editorial board endorsements including the Wall Street Journal, Sacramento Bee, Seattle Times, National Review and Washington Post, the bill has earned support and endorsements from national organizations including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Treatment Advocacy Center, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychological Association and American Psychiatric Association among many others.

Appearing on CBS News 60 Minutes last November, House Speak Paul Ryan discussed his support for moving Murphy's crisis mental health reform bill, saying: "The other issue we need to take a look at, and I'm pushing this in the Commerce committee, is Congressman Murphy's legislation on mental health," said Ryan. Weeks later, Speaker Ryan reiterated his commitment to Murphy's bill that is "working its way through the Energy and Commerce Committee" saying at a press conference: "Let's make fixing our mental health system a priority." The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act was voted favorably out of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on a bipartisan vote on November 4, 2015 and awaits full Committee consideration.

Source