WASHINGTON, July 7, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the House was able to pass legislation aiming to reform our nation's mental health care system. Thanks the unwavering dedication of Congressman Tim Murphy, H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act passed 422 to 2. Today marks significant progress in the way our country handles mental health.
Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise who lost her first-grade son, Dylan Hockley, at Sandy Hook Elementary School, commented on the bill's passage: "This bill opens the doors for many more important steps to be taken in order to close the gaps in our country's mental health system. Thanks to the tireless work of Reps. Tim Murphy and Eddie Bernice Johnson, mental health reform has become a bipartisan issue that everyone can stand behind. Now, we look to the Senate to grasp this momentum and drastically improve the lives of Americans suffering from mental health conditions."
One in five Americans suffer from mental health conditions, H.R. 2646 aims to fix the nation's broken mental health system through new compensation measures and broadening care to those who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and other illnesses. By promoting early intervention and suicide prevention, these changes will help to prevent acts of suicide and violence as well as provide care for those who may otherwise fall victim to the criminal justice system.
After the momentous passage in the House, it is now time for the Senate to approve an identical bill in order to enact these new measures. Sandy Hook Promise calls upon the Senate to pass mental health reform measures and encourages them to forge forward in the same bipartisan spirit as the House.
About Sandy Hook Promise
Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a non-partisan national nonprofit formed and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Based in Newtown, Connecticut, SHP's sole purpose is to prevent gun violence BEFORE it happens so that no other parents experience the senseless, horrific loss of their child. SHP delivers, at no cost, four Know the Signs programs that teach youth and adults to recognize signs and signals of individuals who may be at-risk of hurting themselves or others and intervene to get them help before it is too late. SHP's Know the Signs programs have helped stop a school shooting, multiple suicide and firearm threats, while also intervening to help individuals get mental health assistance. Additionally, SHP advocates for sensible state and federal violence prevention policy in the areas of mental health and wellness identification, intervention and treatment as well as firearm access and storage. To bring SHP's Know the Signs programs to your school or community or help advocate for sensible policy, visit sandyhookpromise.org.