June 10, 2019 - "Mental Health for US" Launched Ahead of 2020 Election Season.

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Mental Health for US
Aug 27, 2019

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES’ POSITIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION RELEASED BY “MENTAL HEALTH FOR US” COALITION

Mental Health for US today released survey responses from the top presidential candidates concerning our nation’s growing mental health and addiction crises. The survey, which asked 11 unbiased questions addressing suicide and drug overdose, criminal justice reform, equal access to care, and more, aimed to get top candidates on the record about steps they would take to improve mental health and addiction in America.

Presidential candidates averaging at or above one percent in national polls tracked by RealClearPolitics on July 15, 2019were given the opportunity to respond. Survey recipients were:

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden
U.S. Senator Cory Booker
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren
U.S. President Donald Trump
Former U.S. Governor Bill Weld
Mr. Andrew Yang

The following candidates provided responses outlining their plans to improve mental health and addiction care in the United States:

U.S. Senator Cory Booker
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren

Full responses, which were limited to 300 words per question, have been published verbatim on the Mental Health for US website. The Mental Health for US coalition encourages presidential candidates who have not yet completed the survey to respond so that voters are informed of their plans to address issues related to mental health.

“Every person in America has been affected by mental health and addiction, whether they’re vocal about it or not. It’s encouraging to see candidates share their thoughts on issues that continue to devastate families and communities nationwide,” said former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum and co-chair of the Mental Health for US coalition. “However, these survey responses are just the beginning of the discussion. The Mental Health for US coalition was created to help educate policymakers and candidates on the steps needed to close dangerous gaps in mental health care access and quality in this country.”

An analysis of the survey responses shows several commonalities among respondents. All respondents mentioned increasing access to mental health and addiction care in rural and underserved populations as a key driver in reducing deaths by suicide and overdose. Nearly all respondents also indicated their intention to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the opioid epidemic and all respondents shared plans to expand access to treatment and services for those living in recovery from addiction. Additionally, all respondents agreed that mental health and addiction must be decriminalized in some way, and that increased funding will be critical to expand and improve services.

However, approaches to solving mental health and addiction issues varied widely, as did candidates’ priorities. Some candidates focused more on improving early intervention and prevention, while others outlined plans to address the country’s current concerns. Plans to enforce federal and state parity laws, reform the criminal justice system, and increase access to evidence-based treatment options were approached differently by respondents.

“Policymakers, including candidates for president, should be aware of the enormous mental health and addiction challenges facing our nation,” said former U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith, co-chair of the Mental Health for US coalition. “We urge every candidate to put forth policy proposals to address this crisis, starting with this survey and our Presidential Candidate Forum series. There are few families in America who have gone untouched by mental illness. We challenge policymakers to address this crisis with understanding, empathy and a treatment option strategy that will end suffering for so many.”

The Mental Health for US Presidential Candidate Forum series will kick off at Drake University in Iowa on September 27. Tickets are free to the public and can be reserved here. Subsequent events will take place in New Hampshire on December 16, 2019 and in California on January 13, 2020. These forums offer presidential candidates the opportunity to speak directly with the community about their plans to address mental health and addiction in America.

About Mental Health for US
Mental Health for US is a nonpartisan educational initiative focused on elevating mental health and addiction in policy conversations by empowering grassroots advocates and improving candidate and policymaker health literacy. The initiative is powered by a coalition of stakeholder groups from around the country dedicated to uniting the American people to make systemic, long-term change with civic engagement tools and resources. For more information, visit www.mentalhealthforus.net.

Media Contact
Erin Buckley
erin.buckley@curastrategies.com

*Edit: Sen. Harris’ responses were received after the press release crossed the wire.

Mental Health for US
June 10, 2019

"Mental Health for US" Launched Ahead of 2020 Election Season

Nonpartisan initiative from leading organizations shines spotlight on mental health and addiction

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight of the nation's most prominent mental health and addiction organizations united today to launch Mental Health for US, a landmark nonpartisan initiative designed to elevate mental health and addiction in policy conversations during the upcoming election season.

Nearly one in five Americans live with mental illness and one in 12 live with addiction. In 2017, 70,237 Americans died from a drug overdose. Every day, an estimated 17 veterans die by suicide, and more than 46% of homeless adults within the U.S. live with severe mental illness. By educating the public on the severity of America's health crisis, Mental Health for US seeks to be a catalyst in effectively and holistically addressing mental health and addiction to reduce suicide and overdose deaths.

The movement launched at The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's 10^th Annual Advocacy Forum by former U.S. Representative and co-chair of the Mental Health for US initiative Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.). Former U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), a long-time mental health advocate, will also serve as co-chair.

The eight coalition leaders for Mental Health for US are:

The Kennedy Forum
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The Jed Foundation
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Council for Behavioral Health
Mental Health America
One Mind
Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation

"Nationwide, families are being ripped apart by deaths of despair from suicides and overdoses," said Rep. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum. "This election cycle, as all eyes are on policymakers, we want to unite the American people in demanding legislative action from our government to adequately address the worst public health crisis of our time."

Mental Health for US presents a comprehensive policy platform with three main focus areas:

Prevention: Stakeholders on the local, state, and national levels must unite to foster healthy environments for all Americans that support mental health as a part of overall health.
Access and Intervention: All people with mental illness, including substance use disorders and eating disorders, deserve timely access to affordable treatment and recovery services that treat the mind and the body.
Recovery: Recovery from mental health and substance use disorders is not one-size-fits-all. A wide variety of recovery services, treatments, and supports should be available to those who need them.

Voters are encouraged to join Mental Health for US by signing a statement of support, sharing their stories, distributing resources and tools to encourage active civic engagement, and attending grassroots events to engage candidates. The first events will take place in Iowa and New Hampshire in the fall of 2020. Organizations and policymakers are also encouraged to get involved—resources include communications toolkits, policy and issue briefs, and more.

"The suicide rate has skyrocketed over the past 20 years because mental health and substance use disorders often go undetected and undertreated," said Sen. Smith. "Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in America. Now more than ever, we need our government leaders to stand up and champion systemic change. We have to make our voices heard."

Later this year, Mental Health for US will provide all presidential candidates polling 1% or above in a national poll tracked by RealClearPolitics the opportunity to get on the record about these issues by responding to a mental health and addiction survey. Candidate responses will be published verbatim on the initiative's website.

In addition to co-chairs Kennedy and Smith, the Mental Health for US bipartisan honorary advisory board includes:

Former U.S. Rep. Mary Bono
Former U.S. Under Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy
Former U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad
Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, PhD

Initial champion sponsors of the Mental Health for US initiative include The Kennedy Forum, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Kaiser Permanente. Other sponsors include Janssen Neuroscience.

Any organization that supports the initiative's mission is welcome to join as a member. In addition to the founding leaders, Mental Health for US coalition members include:

Active Minds
Advocates for Opioid Recovery
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Black Girls Smile
Black Mental Health Alliance
Bring Change to Mind
Center on Addiction + Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Child Mind Institute
Columbia University Department of Psychiatry
Dil to Dil: Heart to Heart
DMAX Foundation
National Association for Children of Addiction
Peg's Foundation
Psych Hub
Project HEAL
Shatterproof
Stephanie Becker Fund
The Voices Project

If your organization is interested in joining, contact info@mentalhealthforus.net.
Watch a livestream video of the Mental Health for US announcement here.

About Mental Health for US
Mental Health for US is a nonpartisan educational initiative focused on elevating mental health and addiction in policy conversations by empowering grassroots advocates and improving candidate and policymaker health literacy. The initiative is powered by a coalition of stakeholder groups from around the country dedicated to uniting the American people to make systemic, long-term change with civic engagement tools and resources. For more information, visit www.mentalhealthforus.net.

Media Contact
Erin Buckley