The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved legislation by a vote of 53-0 on Wednesday that U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) introduced to reform the nation’s mental health care system.
The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, H.R. 2646, which has 197 bipartisan cosponsors, would be the most comprehensive mental health reform bill passed in the last 50 years.
“Here and now, this committee jointly proclaims that the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness must come out of the shadows,” Murphy, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, said. “We declare a new dawn of hope for the care of those with mental illness and we pledge our unwavering commitment to continued work to bring help and hope in the future.”
The best way to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and fix the nation’s broken mental health system, Murphy said, would be to deliver evidence-based treatment and transform the federal government’s approach to mental health.
“This bill calls for a complete overhaul of the current federal system, refocusing resources on helping those with the most serious mental illnesses by getting them treatment before, during and after a psychiatric crisis,” Murphy said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work of the bipartisan coalition in Congress, and I eagerly look forward to the bill’s consideration on the House floor.”
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that the bill would make a real difference for countless Americans.
“The 53-0 vote marks another important milestone to delivering meaningful reforms to families in mental health crisis,” Upton said. “Those suffering from mental illness need the attention of this Congress, and I hope the House will swiftly follow our lead.”
U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) added that the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act would increase access to care, save money for state and local governments, and improve outcomes for patients and families.
“This groundbreaking legislation that I co-sponsored, H.R. 2646 — the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act — is the first of its kind,” Ellmers said. “This legislation implements meaningful mental health reforms and provides long overdue fixes to the current system by focusing resources on psychiatric care for patients and families. Its unanimous passage out of the Energy and Commerce Committee this morning is a testament to how paramount this legislation is in addressing the serious mental health crisis facing our nation.”
In addition to providing resources to help family members prevent potentially dangerous results of mental illness, the bill would establish preventative screening, diagnostic and treatment services to people under 21, and give police and first responders additional training in crisis intervention.
U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and a cosponsor of the bill, said that the U.S. must change the way people with mental illnesses are treated.
“Rep. Murphy’s legislation will make a real difference in the lives of the one in five Americans who struggle with mental illness, and empower family members to be partners in care for their loved ones suffering from serious mental illness,” Brooks said. “I applaud his efforts, and eagerly await consideration of this proposal by the House.”
U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) said that he was proud to support the landmark mental health bill.
“This well-crafted, bipartisan legislation is a giant leap forward to make sure that our fellow citizens with mental illness have access to the treatment they need when they need it,” Bucshon said. “As a physician, I will continue my work to make sure every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare. H.R. 2646 is an important component of that effort.”
The Helping Families in Mental Crisis Act builds on reforms included in a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) in 2014 that would put community mental health centers on equal footing with other health centers, improve quality standards and expand access.
“Too many people in this country have not been well served by a mental health care system that is outdated for today’s challenges, helps too few and misdirects those who need the most care,” Lance, an original cosponsor of the bill, said. “I am proud to have helped steer this landmark reform in this process and I look forward to passage of this legislation through the U.S. House. Families across the country are waiting for these reforms.”