Congresswomen Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Gound, and Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, led a bipartisan group of 11 lawmakers in a letter that urged the Trump Administration’s Office of Management and Budget to provide “robust funding” next year to programs that address mental health, substance use disorders and suicide prevention.
The letter dated Nov. 20 was addressed to OMB Director Mick Mulvaney.
“We are committed to building better futures for individuals and families affected by mental illness and serious mental illness. Unfortunately, stories of families who have suffered attempting to find care for a loved one are all too common,” states the letter. “The opioid crisis has exacerbated and exhausted the attempt to find solutions on mental health and substance use disorders.”
The lawmakers stated they support investments in prevention, research and treatment programs to reach populations in need and to boost coordination across the federal government.
“Promoting evidence-based programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will help those with mental illness rather than hinder them,” stated the letter.
According to the letter, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act represents a multi-year effort to reform the mental health system.
The evidence-based treatment and innovation would allow states to target local needs, jail and prison diversion, crisis response systems and suicide prevention — “valuable priorities that can help to push the mental health system out of crisis,” states the letter.
Representatives from Mississippi, Arizona, Oregon, California, Minnesota, New York and Iowa signed the letter.
The full text of the letter can be found online at herrerabeutler.house.gov.
