Category Mental Health Reform

The theme for WHO World Health Day on April 7 is “Depression: Let’s Talk.” CFYM is celebrating the event with a post from the archive by Farha Abbasi, M.D., that looks at the role of faith in supporting the mental health issues associated with the trauma of immigration.

Farha Abbasi M.D, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry Department, Michigan State University

Imagine being alone in a new country — unable to speak the language, surrounded by an unfamiliar culture, and forced to leave your entire life behind. This is the reality for many immigrants around the world.

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Almost half of the people in the United States under the age of 65 who receive Medicaid benefits because of a disability access care for mental health conditions or substance use disorders. Among this population, 18 percent had experienced a mood disorder episode in the past year. Congress and the Trump Administration are focused on changing the structure of these benefits and other ways in which Americans access affordable healthcare. During this time of transition, CFYM will keep you updated on potential and actual healthcare policy changes and share personal stories illustrating how these changes may affect our ability to access care. (If you are concerned about changes to healthcare or if you have an experience to share with the CFYM community, you can submit your story, too!)

Amber Kirchhoff, Policy Associate
Thresholds

As a community-based provider serving nearly 15,000 clients annually, Thresholds recognizes the Affordable Care Act (“ACA” or “Obamacare”) as a major step forward in increasing access to treatment for individuals with mental health and substance use conditions.

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Doug Williamson, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer & Vice President for Lundbeck U.S. Drug Development

Care for Your Mind acknowledges and appreciates the collaboration of the American Brain Coalition in developing this series.

An epidemic
The world’s quietest healthcare crisis is one that starts between the ears.

When it comes to mental illness, the statistics are nearly too staggering to process.

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William Z. Potter, M.D., Ph.D., Foundation for the National Institutes of Health

Care for Your Mind acknowledges and appreciates the collaboration of the American Brain Coalition and the National Network of Depression Centers in developing this series.

Despite the hurdles that stand in the way of developing new treatments for depression and other mood disorders, I believe we have every reason to be optimistic.

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William Z. Potter, M.D., Ph.D., National Institutes of Health

Care for Your Mind acknowledges and appreciates the collaboration of the American Brain Coalition and the National Network of Depression Centers in developing this series.

With 350 million people worldwide suffering from depression and diagnoses rising steadily since the 1980s, you’d hope scientists would have a thorough understanding of this pervasive condition. Needless to say, we don’t. Not even close.

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Jeffrey Harman, PhD
College of Medicine, Florida State University

Care For Your Mind acknowledges and appreciates the collaboration of the National Network of Depression Centers for developing this post.

Our nation’s healthcare system has made impressive progress in the last several years. As a direct result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we’ve reached a record low uninsured rate; the number of unpaid medical bills (or bad debt) has plummeted; and 20 million Americans now have insurance purchased through the ACA marketplace.

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Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Congress gave mental health advocates a year-end present by passing mental health reform legislation as part of the 21^st Century Cures Act and sending it to President Obama for signature. This is the third of three CFYM posts that highlight key pieces of the legislation that benefit individuals living with mood disorders and their families.

The December 13 and December 20 CFYM posts focused on the mental health reform package that became part of the 21^st Century Cures Act. This bipartisan legislation passed the U.S. House in July, had support in the Senate and from the President, and was well-positioned for a successful journey to becoming law. What most advocates had not foreseen, however, was that the mental health reform legislation that had been in advancing in varying degrees in both Chambers would be included in that bill.

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Carol Rickard, Community Education and Outreach
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

With the stroke of his pen on December 13, 2016, as he signed the 21^st Century Cures Act, President Obama moved our nation one step closer to treating the whole person and ensuring equal access to health care for individuals living with a mental health condition. This law addresses a wide range of health issues, including a major emphasis on mental health issues. In signing the legislation, the President put into motion critical provisions to improve implementation and enforcement of the 2008 parity law.

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