Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH) introduced the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill to provide states and local communities with increased federal support for mental health programs.  Congressman Alex Mooney (R-WV) is the lead Republican cosponsor of the bill. 

“Across the country, far too many families are struggling to provide their loved ones suffering from mental illness with the help they need. In addition to removing the stigma around mental health, we must ensure that local communities have the federal support necessary to increase access to mental health services,” said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. “Those of us who are working to end the ongoing opioid epidemic know that unresolved mental health illnesses can often lead to drug abuse; in fact, nearly 50 percent of heroin users have a co-occurring mental health disorder. In order to address the opioid epidemic, we must get to the root of the problem and help individuals access the often life-saving programs they need. Mental health is not a partisan issue, and that’s why I’m proud to join with my Republican colleague from West Virginia, Alex Mooney, in introducing this sorely needed bill to address this issue head on.”  

“According to the national survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over 9.8 million adults in the United States have a serious mental illness, yet almost 60% did not receive mental health services in 2014. This lack of treatment for these diseases can lead to substance abuse, unemployment, incarceration, homelessness, and suicide. This issue is especially important to West Virginia because our state has some of the highest rates of suicide and substance abuse in the country.  That is why I am proud to introduce the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act with Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH). I am grateful for Rep. Kuster’s leadership on this critical issue and look forward to working together, with members of both political parties, to help diagnose, prevent, and treat mental health disorders,” said Rep. Alex X. Mooney.

The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act outlines several steps to advance education and prevention efforts surrounding mental health by reauthorizing and updating key federal programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The bipartisan legislation would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate current barriers to behavioral health integration and mental health care for children, which would identify areas for better care coordination, and would reauthorize a number of grants and initiatives including the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services on Campus grant program and the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative. Other programs include the reauthorization of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which provides for Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Strategies grants, and the reauthorization of mental health awareness training that provides funds for the training of teachers and other school personnel so that they can identify indicators of mental illness and know the appropriate community resources. The programs will provide additional resources to schools and communities as they work to reduce substance use disorder and suicides while improving the mental health resources available. Companion legislation to this bill passed the Senate in December of last year.

Since taking office, Kuster has advocated for the strengthening and expansion of mental health services in New Hampshire and across the country. On Monday, Kuster was proud to help launch Change Direction New Hampshire, an initiative that will help to change the culture and stigma surrounding mental illness Last May, Kuster co-hosted a state-wide mental health summit, the first event of its kind in New Hampshire, which brought together local advocates and providers to discuss their needs, best practices, and thoughts on how the federal government can support their efforts. As Kuster has collaborated with local, state, and federal officials to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic, she has advocated for improved integration between physical health and mental health services to help improve services for individuals living with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders.

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