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ICYMI: H.R. 2646 Marks "A New Dawn for Mental Health"

7/13/15

More national coverage on the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act

For Immediate Release: July 13, 2015
Contact: Gretchen Andersen 202.225.2301

(Washington D.C.) – Top-tier media outlets continue to touch on Congressman Tim Murphy’s (PA-18) landmark mental health reform legislation, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, H.R. 2646 as momentum builds in Congress. From the July 11th issue of The Economist to an in-depth story leading the BuzzFeed homepage, H.R. 2646 has sparked a national conversation about the critical need for an overhaul of our country’s broken mental health system and the daily challenges families with loved ones in mental health crisis must endure.

And local outlets are also weighing in on the legislation. On Friday, the Observer-Reporter published a Letter to the Editor from Murphy, who notes how residents in Southwestern Pennsylvania have seen the devastating results of lack of treatment, and calls on readers to no longer turn a blind eye to those with serious mental illness.

Making Cruel Unusual
July 11, 2015

At a meeting in May organised by supporters of a bill proposed by congressman Tim Murphy, Anthony Hernandez told the story of how his son last year tried to kill both him and his wife while they lay in bed one morning…Mr and Mrs Hernandez had previously been unable to force treatment on their son while he was violent and delusional…His tearful father says his son is being bullied by other inmates and is not taking his medication. Congressman Murphy’s bill aims to give families the power to enforce treatment in such cases. — The Economist

The Trials of Teresa Sheehan
July 9, 2015

Congressman Murphy’s bill would also relax privacy laws, giving families more access to information about a severely mentally ill person’s otherwise confidential health care information. Murphy emphasizes this would be only in certain cases where individuals have demonstrated a repeated inability to care for themselves, and even then, only some information would be allowable: the name of a doctor, a diagnosis, the name of medications prescribed, the time and date of next appointment. “In other words, we give enough information to the caregiver, the responsible caregiver, so that they can facilitate that person’s care.”— Sandra Allen, BuzzFeed

 

Pass the Mental Health Bill
July 10, 2015

This legislation marks a new dawn for mental health in America. We have a unique opportunity to fundamentally improve our mental health system that is desperately in need of an overhaul, and work toward a better integration of psychiatric and primary care. There have been tremendous advances in medicine in the last 10 years to treat schizophrenia and severe mental illnesses that have made a huge difference, but it is only valuable if patients have access to these treatments. Let’s no longer turn a blind eye and help families in mental health crisis. — Rep. Murphy, Observer-Reporter

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In his seventh term representing Pennsylvania’s 18th congressional district encompassing suburban Pittsburgh including parts of Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland and Greene Counties, Rep. Tim Murphy also serves as a Commander in the Navy Reserve Medical Service Corps as a psychologist treating Wounded Warriors with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.

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    repName Tim Murphy  
    helpWithFedAgencyAddress District Office
    504 Washington Road
    Pittsburgh, PA 15228    		  
    district 18th District of Pennsylvania  
    academyUSCitizenDate July 1, 2012  
    academyAgeDate July 1, 2012  
    academyApplicationDueDate October 20, 2012  
    repStateABBR PA  
    repDistrict 18  
    repState Pennsylvania  
    repDistrictText 18th  
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    SponsoredBills Sponsored Bills  
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