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Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2016

Floor Speech

Date: July 6, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care

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Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to vote on long overdue bipartisan mental health legislation. This bill will finally take concrete steps toward improving the quality of care available to those suffering from mental illness.

For too long, the most desperate among us have not had access to proper mental health care. Patients, along with their families and loved ones, have had nowhere to turn.

As a doctor taking care of patients in northern Michigan for 30 years, I am all too familiar with the lack of resources and attention devoted to providing quality mental health care for our Nation. There are many communities in my district there are no psychiatric beds available. Local agencies don't have the staff or the resources to provide answers for those seeking help, let alone treatment. This bill represents a major step forward in turning all that around.

I hope all my colleagues will join me in supporting this commonsense step to help deliver better mental health care.

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