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Mental Health
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Sara Bianchi's Files
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CLINTON/GORE ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS NEW INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS
MENTAL HEALTH AT THE FIRST-EVER WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE
ON MENTAL HEALTH
June 7, 1999
File Ueedal
Today, at the first-ever White House Conference on Mental Health, chaired by the President's Mental Nealth
Health Advisor Tipper Gore, the Clinton/Gore Administration will unveil unprecedented measures to
improve mental health. "To improve the health of our nation, we must ensure that our mental health is
taken as seriously as our physical health. That is why we are taking new steps to break down the
myths and misperceptions of mental illness, highlighting new cutting-edge treatments, and
encouraging Americans to get the help they need." said Tipper Gore. The Administration's proposals
provide parity, improve treatment, bolster research, and expand community responses to help those
with mental illnesses. Highlights of these initiatives include:
Ensuring that the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) the nation's largest
private insurer - implements full mental health and substance abuse parity. Today, the
Office of Personnel Management is sending a letter to the 285 participating health plans
informing them that starting next year they will have to offer full mental health and substance
abuse parity to participate in the program. This step will provide full parity for nine million
beneficiaries by next year and ensure that the Federal government leads the way to providing
parity. The Department of Labor is also launching a new outreach campaign to inform Americans
about their rights under the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996.
Accelerating progress in research. In July, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) will
launch a $7.3 million landmark study to determine the nature of mental illness and treatment
nationwide and to help guide strategies and policy for the next century. This new study will
collect information on mental illness, including the prevalence and duration of mental illness as
well as the types of treatment that are most commonly used. NIMH also will announce the launch
of two new clinical trials, investing a total of $61 million, to build on effective treatments for
those affected by mental illness.
Encouraging states to offer more coordinated Medicaid services for people with mental
illness. Millions of Americans with severe mental illness rely on Medicaid to pay for their health
care. To encourage states to make the most effective services available, the Health Care
Financing Administration (HCFA) will advise all state Medicaid directors that: (1) Medicaid will
reimburse for services provided in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs targeting
people with the most severe and persistent mental illness; (2) Medicaid recipients all have access
to medications approved by FDA for the treatment of serious mental illnesses; and (3) states
should educate Medicaid providers and beneficiaries about their ability to enter into "advance
planning directives" that set out treatment guideline for people who became severely incapacitated
in the future.
1
Launching a pilot program to help people with mental illness get the quality treatment they
need to return to work. Of the 4.7 million Americans that receive Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that approximately one in
nine (about 500,000) has an affective disorder (such as depression or a bipolar disorder).
Research suggests that many of the people suffering with these disorders could get effective
treatment and perhaps return to work. The Administration will launch a new five-year, $10
million demonstration to provide treatment for SSDI beneficiaries with affective disorders. This
complements the Jeffords-Kennedy-Roth-Moynihan legislation, which allows people to buy into
the Medicaid or Medicare program when they return to work.
Educating older Americans and their health professionals about the risks of depression.
Five million Americans over the age of 65 suffer from some form of depression, but many do not
recognize their symptoms as depression and do not receive the treatment they need. NIMH and
the Administration on Aging (AoA) will launch an outreach initiative to educate the elderly and
their healthcare professionals about mental illness. The Department of Veteran Affairs will also
launch six new study sites to test two modes of primary care for older Americans with mental
health and/or substance abuse disorders.
Reaching out to vulnerable homeless Americans with mental illnesses. The Department of
Housing and Urban Development is launching a new initiative to encourage communities to
create safe havens where homeless mentally ill Americans can get treatment and care. HHS will
also launch a two-year, $4.8 million grant program to study the treatment, housing, education,
training, and support services needed by homeless women and their children given to as many as
2,000 homeless mothers and their 4,000 children, many of whom suffer from mental illnesses.
The Department of Veteran Affairs will double the number of "stand down" events to reach out
to homeless Americans with mental illness to help them get the treatment and services they need.
Implementing new strategies to meet the mental health needs of crime victims. To ensure that
the federal response to community crises, like acts of terrorism or mass violence, includes a strong
mental health component, the Administration is announcing a new interagency partnership
between the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime and the Center for Mental
Health Services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMSHA). This partnership also will ensure that strategies are in place to address the mental
health needs of victims of violent crime.
Developing and implementing new strategies to address mental illness in the criminal justice
system. SAMHSA and DOJ are hosting a conference later this summer to focus on how the
criminal justice system can prevent crime by mentally ill people and can address the needs of
offenders with mental illness. Following this conference, DOJ will launch an outreach effort to
educate the criminal justice community on how to better serve people with mental health needs.
This initiative will include a new partnership with the National GAINS center so that
communities interested in pursuing these approaches can get technical assistance and ideas about
how to implement successful strategies.
2
Implementing a new comprehensive approach to address combat stress in the military. At
least 30 percent of those who have spent time in war zones experience combat stress reaction.
Today the President will direct the Department of Defense to report back within 180 days on an
implementation plan for a comprehensive combat stress program throughout the military. DOD
will also hold a conference this fall to develop strategies and educate military leaders and medical
personnel about the need to enhance current prevention strategies.
Launching the expansion of the "Caring For Every Child" mental health campaign. At least
one in ten American children and adolescents may have behavioral, or mental health problems.
The Administration will launch a five-year $5 million dollar campaign in targeted communities to
highlight the special mental health needs of children.
Improving the mental health of Native American youth. The suicide rate for Native
Americans between the ages of five and 24 years old is three times higher than the rest of the U.S.
population in this age group. This initiative allocates at least $5 million for a collaboration
between the Departments of Interior, Justice, Education, and HHS, to go to ten Native American
communities to develop effective strategies to address mental health needs of youth in settings
such as the home, school, treatment centers, and the juvenile justice system.
The Administration Also Challenged Congress to Pass Legislation to Improve Care and
Services for People with Mental Illness. The Administration urged Congress to:
Pass the Jeffords-Kennedy-Roth-Moynihan-Lazio-Waxman-Bliley-Dingel legislation,
which would enable people with disabilities to return to work by accessing affordable
health insurance.
Hold hearings on the mental health parity law to review its strengths and weaknesses.
Fund the historic $70 million increase in the mental health grant.
Pass a strong enforceable patients' bill of rights which ensures that people with mental
health needs obtain critical protections such as access to specialists and the continuity of
care protections.
Pass strong comprehensive privacy and legislation to eliminate genetic discrimination.
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY