Target: Carole Johnson, Administrator of Health Resources and Services Administration
Goal: Support long-overdue investments in community mental health services and in expanded insurance coverage for mental health.
Mental health has become a hot-button issue in recent years, and it often arises as a prominent factor in other issues as well, such as gun violence. But mental healthcare in America still lags behind other forms of traditional healthcare in terms of investment and availability. This ForceChange petition called for a prioritization of mental health services from U.S. leaders. In its waning months, the Biden administration is answering these calls.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a landmark investment that will make mental healthcare more accessible to about 10 million Americans. The department will award 240 million dollars in grants to hundreds of community health centers that are on the front lines of mental health treatment. In addition, each of the 1,400 department-supported health centers will be required to provide mental health and substance abuse services that are on par with physical health services. This move follows other recent significant investments in youth mental health, in Medicaid expansion for mental health services, and in new requirements that remove insurance roadblocks to securing mental health coverage.
Sign the petition below to laud these important steps in tackling the nation’s mental health crisis.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Administrator Johnson,
The announcement that more Americans have access to mental health services than at any historical point is monumental for an issue that faced and still faces such stigma. Mental health impacts every aspect of our lives and of society itself, and it’s far past time that the nation acknowledges and upholds its tremendous importance. The new investments made in mental healthcare and the push for strong enforcement of health insurance parity will help make mental wellness a cornerstone of American healthcare.
Thank you for never giving up on this essential goal.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Ricky Esquivel
9 Signatures