Bill will address mental health service barriers

Underprivileged populations face significant barriers in accessing mental health services, including financial constraints, geographical limitations, stigma, lack of culturally competent care, workforce shortages, and inadequate insurance coverage.

These barriers lead to increased mental health problems, substance abuse, homelessness, and reduced quality of life. The Youth Mental Health Research Initiative (H.R. 5976 in the House and S. 3060) aims to improve funding by keeping it at COVID-19 levels for critically needed access to mental health care.

This proactive legislation challenges the current mood in Congress to do an about-face from its current stance of only responding to cuts being made at the Executive level of government.

This Act would establish a Youth Mental Health Research Initiative within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund research and improve youth mental health through collaborative efforts among national research institutes and centers focusing on prevention. treatment, crisis care, social, behavioral, cognitive, and developmental research, and targeting delivery of mental health intervention.

As our lawmakers continue their work in Congress this year, we urge them to pass H.R. 5976 in the House and S. 3060 legislation in the Senate. We also encourage their constituents in DuPage County to call or contact their house representatives and senators to take a stand and support the policy changes and advocacy efforts incorporated into the Youth Mental Health Research Initiative bill to address accessible mental health care for our youth and advance equity for mental health wellness that not only positively impacts individuals personally but also society as a whole for the well-being of future generations of citizens.

Carolyn Bavaro

Wood Dale