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Contact: Heather Cobb, 703-797-2588 or hcobb@nmha.org
Advocates Praise Senate Passage of Suicide Prevention Bill
Statement by Bill Emmet, Coordinator of the Campaign for Mental Health
Reform
WASHINGTON, DC (July 9, 2004) — The Campaign for Mental Health
Reform — a national coalition representing people with mental illnesses,
their families, mental health advocates and service providers — today
applauds Senators Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and the 30 other cosponsors for
making youth suicide prevention an important priority by ushering the
Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (S. 2634) into unanimous passage.
Suicide is a preventable tragedy. President Bush’s New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health concluded that “suicide is a serious
public health challenge that has not received the attention and degree
of national priority it deserves.” This legislation is an important
step in addressing this epidemic and moving adolescent suicide from the
shadows into the light.
Mental and emotional problems in youth are widely prevalent, but effective
treatments exist. Early intervention saves lives. Unfortunately, most
young people and their families face barriers that put treatment out of
reach. As a result, suicide among young Americans is far too frequent.
The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act can help reduce the terrible toll
of this serious public health problem. In addition to addressing the crisis
of youth suicide, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act includes provisions
to expand campus mental health counseling. This element is a welcome recognition
of the importance of mental health to academic success and the enormous
gaps in access to mental health care facing youth on college campuses
across the country.
The Campaign for Mental Health Reform applauds the bill’s sponsors
and looks forward to working with the House to ensure passage of this
important legislation.
# # #
The Campaign for Mental Health Reform has been organized as the
mental health community’s united voice on federal policy. Its goal is to
make access, recovery, and quality in mental health services the hallmarks
of our nation’s mental health system. Its members include organizations
representing millions of people with mental or emotional disorders and
their families and service providers, administrators and other advocates.
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One of every two Americans who need mental
health treatment do not receive it, and the rate is even lower —and
the quality of care poorer—for ethnic and racial minorities.
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