The Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act passed the U.S. House on Wednesday with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 402-20.
The bill, which would strengthen and expand programs to address major shortages in mental health professionals and other barriers to care, included Eighth District Congressman Don Beyer’s legislation to support the successful launch of the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8 next month.
Beyer is the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan House Suicide Prevention Task Force.
His comments on the House floor on the bill:
“The pandemic magnified both suicide risk and reporting of anxiety and depression with two out of five adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression.
“The Kaiser Family Foundation released a report this morning that found that suicide death rates rose by 12% from 2010 to 2020 – with rates rising fastest among people of color, younger individuals, and people in rural areas.
“Help can’t come fast enough.
“I want to thank the Rules Committee for allowing the Katko/Napolitano/Beyer amendment – which reflects our bill to reauthorize, ensure sufficient funding, and provide oversight of the Suicide Lifeline – to be made in order and included in the first en bloc today.
“As the House and Senate finalize any mental health package to be signed into law, I want to take this time to mention my bill with Mr. Kinzinger – the Campaign to Prevent Suicide – which was passed by the Committee and the House last year.
“It would help educate the American public both on the new 9-8-8 suicide lifeline number which is launching on July 16th and help change the culture around those in crisis to one of avoidance to one of connection to resources.
“SAMHSA has mentioned the importance of it becoming law as crucial to the success of 9-8-8. And we want 9-8-8 to be successful. We’ve all worked too hard in a bipartisan way on 9-8-8 not to do so.”
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Chris Graham
