Bipartisan Bill to Improve Mental Health Care Supported by Hagan Approved by Senate Committee

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, a member of the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced today that a bipartisan bill to improve access to mental health services for young people was passed by the HELP Committee this morning with her support. The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act will also increase awareness, prevention and early identification of mentalhealth conditions.

"Addressing the threat of violence in our schools requires a comprehensive approach. Increasing access to mental health services for young people is a critical part of ourefforts to prevent tragedies like the one that took place in Newtown from happening again," Hagan said. "This bipartisan legislation increases support for schools to help identify troubled students and connect them with the services they need. By strengthening ourmental health system, we can save and improve lives in North Carolina and around the country."

The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act makes targeted improvements designed to advance Federal efforts to assist states and local communities in addressing mental health needs. The legislation reauthorizes and improves programs administered by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services related to awareness, prevention and early identification of mental health conditions.

In addition to Hagan, original cosponsors of the bipartisan legislation include HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, Ranking Member Lamar Alexander, and Senators Al Franken (D-MN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Michael Bennet(D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA).

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