Reps. Murphy and Buchanan Hear from Community on Urgent Need to Enact Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act

Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA) appeared as a special guest today at a town hall meeting on mental healthcare hosted by Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL). More than 125 law enforcement personnel, providers, and family members came out for a discussion about the need to rebuild the country's mental health system by enacting the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (H.R. 3717). Murphy is the author of the bipartisan H.R. 3717, which has been described as the most comprehensive overhaul of the mental health system since the Kennedy Administration. Nationwide support for the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act has come from newspaper editors, physicians, and parents of children with mental illness.

The forum was one of six meetings and public events today focused on mental health organized by Rep. Buchanan, who is a cosponsor of H.R. 3717. At the invitation of supporters and congressional cosponsors of H.R. 3717, Murphy has been speaking on his legislation across the country this month.

During the town hall, parents of loved ones with severe schizophrenia and bipolar disorder described their personal struggles in getting an adult son or daughter into medical treatment due to convoluted legal barriers. While tears were shed, those in attendance were buoyed by the efforts of Congressmen Murphy and Buchanan to fix the broken mental health system.

"The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act will rebuild our broken system so families are reunited and loved ones with mental illness recover," said Dr. Murphy, a clinical psychologist. "I'm honored to work with Representative Buchanan who has shown tremendous leadership and courage in helping Florida families who have a loved one in mental health crisis."

Said Congressman Buchanan, "Mental illness is a national crisis. I am proud to join Congressman Murphy as we fight to reform a broken mental health system."

During the town hall, Dr. Murphy explained that some individuals experiencing an acute mental crisis are not treated with the same urgent care as other patients, such as those with Alzheimer's Disease or suffering from a stoke, who also lack insight into their medical needs. Noting that current research underscores the need to approach serious mental illness as a medical condition, Murphy said patients with a brain illness have a right to get better and deserve immediate access to care in a medical setting.

"We would never deny treatment to a stroke victim or a senior with Alzheimer's Disease simply because he or she is unable to ask for care. Yet, in cases of serious brain disorders, like schizophrenia, this cruel conundrum prevents us from acting even when we know we must because the laws say we can't. We must change those misguided and harmful laws," said Murphy.

The state of Florida will only guide a person with severe and chronic mental illness into treatment if they are imminently homicidal or suicidal. The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act would induce Florida, and 26 other states including Pennsylvania, to adopt "need for treatment" standards, which allow magistrates to place a loved one into treatment when that individual is too sick to save himself or herself from psychiatric deterioration.

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