House Passes Most Significant Mental Health Reform Bill in Decades

 

By Anna Merod

Last week, the House of Representatives almost unanimously passed one of the most significant bills targeting mental health reform since 1963, but mental health advocates say this notable victory is only the tip of the iceberg.

The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act that passed in the House 422-2 on July 6 will help to address holes in the US' mental health system by providing more hospital beds for people dealing with a mental illness who will need short-term hospitalization. The bill, introduced by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), will also require that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) establish an interagency committee to create evidence-based findings into systems of care. HIPPA provisions may also be reinterpreted in the bill to further permit parents access to their seriously mentally ill child's medical information and treatment plan when their child is 18 years or older. 

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Source: NBC News