Articles

Originally published in: DC News Now

A group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday launched a new bipartisan Mental Health Caucus.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one in five Americans struggle with a mental illness.

It’s something these lawmakers have seen firsthand.

“For me, it was my sister. Growing up, I watched her struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts,” Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore). 

“My son was diagnosed with schizophrenia 31 years ago,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said. 

“My stepmother– she had mental illness,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said. 

The group is now launching a bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, headed up by co-chair Oregon Congresswoman Andrea Salinas. 

“To raise awareness, reduce stigma, share resources,” Salinas said. “There’s some easy legislation out there,” she added. 

Salinas says strengthening the mental health workforce and funding peer support programs is a good step. 

“And it’s a low-cost barrier that Congress could actually help support,” Salinas said.

Other steps include addressing social media’s impacts on youth mental health, and Virginia Congressman Don Beyer says, loneliness. 

“More of us live alone than ever before. We’ve come to understand that happiness and flourishing is being part of a sense of community,” Beyer said. 

The Democratic members of the caucus say they’re concerned that existing mental health resources funded by Medicaid could be on the chopping block. It comes as Republicans work on a budget bill to slash spending. 

“These cuts would mean people will die. People will not have the access to the care they need,” Salinas said. 

“Democrats, what are they doing? They’re lying about what we’re doing with Medicaid,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said this week. 

Speaker Johnson says Republicans are trying to strengthen Medicaid. 

“By eliminating things like fraud, waste and abuse, which is a huge problem in the program,” Johnson said. 

Johnson has said the House aims to pass that budget by Memorial Day.