WASHINGTON DC (May 20, 2019) — Prepared floor remarks by Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley of Iowa on Mental Health Awareness Month:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
The month of May gives us an opportunity to increase public awareness about the challenges faced by those struggling with mental illness. It also encourages us to consider reforms to policies that affect these individuals as well as their friends and family members.
Almost one in five adults in the United States copes with mental illness in any given year. And roughly 20 million Americans struggle with a substance abuse disorder, but less than half will get the treatment they need.
In the 114th Congress, I cosponsored and led the Judiciary Committee in approving legislation to update and extend the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act. Up to half of our nation’s prison population may suffer from mental illness. Jails and prisons hold ten times as many people with mental illness than hospitals, according to the National Sheriffs’ Association.
In the 115th Congress, I introduced and led the Senate in adopting reforms to tackle substance abuse, mental health and other issues that may drive children and teenagers into the juvenile justice system. These reforms, which recently were enacted as part of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act, encourage states to devote federal grants to improving treatment of juvenile offenders with mental illness and substance-abuse issues.
The enactment of these two measures is important, but we still have a lot to do in this area.
First, lack of mental-health resources poses a huge challenge. As Chairman of the Finance Committee, I am committed to exploring new options for increasing access to quality mental health-care.
Second, we still have a long way to go to promote parity in mental health and substance-abuse treatment. I’m committed to building upon existing efforts, and finding new ways to end the stigma attached to mental-health diseases.
Third, experts tell us that it’s important to standardize care for behavioral health and addiction medicines.
Fourth, we may need to equip doctors with more tools to respond to the opioid epidemic that has gripped the nation and takes the lives of 130 Americans daily. For example, federal regulations prevent a patient’s doctor from reviewing that patient’s substance-abuse records. This policy is intended to protect patient privacy, which is an important goal, but if it hinders coordination of care, we may have reason to be concerned. In some cases, a doctor must have access to a patient’s entire medical history in order to adequately recognize, respond to, and treat the symptoms of addiction.
I hope my colleagues in the Senate will join me in identifying bipartisan solutions to these issues. Doing so will help improve the lives of many Americans who struggle with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
