Policy and advocacy for improving healthcare

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H.R. 8979 bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives. This bill guides and allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to present funds to build, manage, or develop one-stop mental health crisis service centers. The bill is titled the “ Behavioral health crisis care centers act of 2022”. (H.R. 8979, n.d., para. 5) In this bill, funding provides everything from the development of the facilities to the training and hiring of staff. H.R. 8979 was introduced by Adam Smith, a representative for the state of Washington.

The requirement for mental health facilities is greater now than ever before. Nearly fifty-six percent of Americans are looking for themselves or someone close to them for mental health services. The population seeking mental health services is becoming younger and more and more from a lower income and has served the military. Seventy-six Americans also deem mental health just as significant as physical health. (National Council for Mental Health, n.d.)

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, lacking health coverage is one of the significant hurdles to health care. In turn, an unbalanced delivery of mental health care adds to inequalities in health. The high amount of overdue Medical bills are shared among insured and uninsured Americans. However, lower-income individuals are often uninsured, especially for mental health coverage, and marginalized groups account for over 50 percent of uninsured Americans. (ODPHP, n.d.)

The author supports the funding of mental health facilities, especially for emergencies. A study revealed that ninety-six Americans seeking mental health services had to wait longer than seven days for much-needed treatment. In addition, states, due to a lack of subsidizing and services, struggle with demand. (National Council for Mental Health, n.d.) H.R. 89779 would help fund mental health access that supports people proactively managing their mental health, resulting in long-lasting mental health outcomes. (Coombs et al., 2021)

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