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Statement on Democrat-Only Behavioral Wellness Bill

5/6/14

Statement on Democrat-Only Behavioral Wellness Bill

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Contact: Brad Grantz, 202.225.2301

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The office of Congressman Tim Murphy released the following statement in response to introduction today of an omnibus behavioral wellness bill by Rep. Ron Barber (D-AZ):

“The Barber-Pelosi bill suffers from a serious case of denial. It denies inpatient and outpatient treatment options to those who are experiencing an acute mental health crisis. It’s denies families the opportunity to be part of the care team and help their loved ones with serious mental illness. And it denies the reality that the lead federal agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has failed in its mission. It’s almost as if the Barber bill wants to deny that people with severe and persistent mental illness exist. Denial doesn't work for substance abuse, and denial won't work for the families whose loved ones are in a mental health crisis,” said Susan Mosychuk, Chief of Staff to Chairman Murphy.

She continued, “The Democrat bill will do nothing to prevent the next Jared Loughner, James Holmes, or Adam Lanza because it does nothing to help those with serious mental illness and continues funding the SAMHSA constituency of legal advocates and anti-psychiatry activists who use taxpayer dollars to force patients out of treatment. Chairman Murphy went to great lengths to work with members to fix our broken mental health system but rather than work on a bipartisan effort, Ron Barber teamed up with Nancy Pelosi and Henry Waxman to simply maintain the status quo. Dr. Murphy is advancing real medical solutions; the Democrats are offering a placebo.”

On Sunday, Rep. Murphy delivered a “call to action” to the general assembly of the American Psychiatric Association, calling this moment a unique opportunity to reform a broken mental health system. Murphy received two standing ovations from the 200+ person audience for his groundbreaking Helping Families In Mental Health Crisis Act (H.R. 3717).

The legislation has been endorsed by newspapers like the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, physician groups, and parents of children with mental illness. Mr. Murphy authored the bill following a year-long investigation into the nation’s broken mental health system. The bill was the topic of an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on April 3rd.

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