Mental health reform bill clears House panel

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said Wednesday a major mental health reform bill to help mentally ill patients and their families was unanimously approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, an important step forward for the legislation.

The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (H.R. 2646) would help improve the nation’s mental healthcare system to better deliver treatment to those who need it most, Walden said

“This legislation dramatically improves how the federal government helps when it comes to mental health care,” Walden said. “We know that 10 million Americans suffer from mental health diseases and issues, and that, if they get care, they’re 15 times less likely to commit a violent act.

“Meanwhile, over time, some 112 programs have been built up in the federal government costing $130 billion. And yet until this law comes along and is enacted, these programs aren’t peer-reviewed, they are evidence-based. We’re going to change that.”

“We’re going to make sure that we are funding the most effective programs out there to help people, and get more help into our communities for mental health services and better integrate between mental health and physical health care. This is really, really important to our families, to our communities, and to those who suffer from mental health issues. We can make it much better, and we will with this legislation.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, patients with mental illness receiving treatment are 15 times less likely to commit violent acts than those who gountreated. Individuals with severe mental illness are also 11 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.

The federal government spends $130 billion per year on mental health, yet the rates of violence, suicide, homelessness, and incarceration among the mentally ill have increased over the past two decades.

The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act reforms the federal government’s mental health bureaucracy to break down barriers to care. It allows families to better work with health care professionals to care for loved ones, and helps fix the shortage of psychiatric hospital beds in this country. The bill also advances tele-psychiatry to help mentally ill patients in rural areas.

Walden said has been a long-time, strong supporter of mental health programs, especially for young people.

He has worked closely with Oregon Partnership/Lines for Life on preventing youth suicide and substance abuse. And he worked across the aisle to pass the nation’s first youth suicide prevention bill into law, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (named in memory of the son of former Oregon Senator Gordon Smith). This legislation includes a multi-year reauthorization of the Garrett Lee Smith law.

In November, Walden held a roundtable meeting in Medfordwith mental health advocates, psychologists, physicians, and members of the law enforcement community to get their input on mental health legislation.

The next step for the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act is a vote before the full U.S. House.