Mental Health Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for yielding and for leading on this incredibly important issue that is before us.

I rise in support of Congressman Murphy's bill, H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015. You know this significant piece of legislation aims to address the fact that millions of Americans who suffer from a serious mental illness are going without treatment, as families and caregivers struggle to find support in a disorganized healthcare system.

I practiced rehabilitation services for 28 years before I had the privilege and honor in 2009 to come to work on behalf of the citizens of Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional District. Part of my career was working acute psychiatric services, working with people that were experiencing some of the most chronic and reoccurring disabling conditions that are out there.

Many times the system that we are in only really responded when people were in crisis, but it only responded to the point that the person was no longer a danger to themselves or someone else.

The system did not allow for the types of resources to be deployed and the care to be provided to really meet the needs of these individuals to stop the cycle.

It was really a privilege and honor to work with many different individuals and many different family members.

But I am so excited about this step that we are taking with this bill, and I really encourage leadership. This is a bill whose time is now. We need to elevate it to the House and to the Senate. This needs to be on the President's desk because we can make a difference in people's lives with this bill.

It is hard to deny the staggering consequences of neglecting our mental health system. Suicide rates are at the highest they have been in more than 25 years. Our nationwide shortage of psychiatric beds is nearly at 100,000. The three largest mental health hospitals in the United States are classified as criminal incarceration facilities, prisons.

I have taken the opportunity--I think it is important--to make visits to our prisons within the congressional district. I have done that. I have more of those visits coming up.

It is very apparent to me that, as we have closed in the past facilities that perhaps we could have improved upon versus closing, all we did was shift people to the streets and from the streets to the prisons.

So many people today have a dual diagnosis, some type of psychiatric diagnosis, but also a substance abuse diagnosis, which tends to be a part of that spiral. And your heart breaks to see that.

If we want to reduce our prison population and the cost that it takes to maintain individuals, then this bill is a good step in that direction of breaking that cycle. I would argue that this bill will help have a cost savings over time, short term and certainly long term.

Congressman Murphy has taken a compassionate and evidence-based approach to reforming the way the Federal Government addresses mental health.

H.R. 2646 breaks down barriers for families. It encourages innovative models of care. It advances early intervention and prevention programs.

Notably, it employs telepsychiatry to reach underserved and rural population areas where patients have difficulty accessing needed care. I know for a fact using telepsychiatry reduces the stigma of reaching out for help.

I authored a bill that has become law. It is called the STEP law, the Servicemember Telemedicine Electronic Portability Act, which we really did this for our military, our Active-Duty military Reserve and Guard.

We changed the law a few years back with a piece of legislation that has expanded telemedicine that is used by the Department of Defense, and it really has helped save lives. It has not been the only thing we have done, but it was a valuable part in the reduction of the suicide rate among our military.

So we know the many provisions within this bill are tested. They are proven. There are lives to be improved and lives to be saved. It recognizes the important role of the family, the caregiver.

Now, these are some of the most chronic and recurring conditions, and you need a strong support system. The way our system is today, it excludes those family members.

So there is just a lot to support here, and I am certainly proud to do it.

It is important that we make a commitment to address mental health with the same urgency as we do physical health.

I will remain steadfast in my support for H.R. 2646, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

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