White House Has Extensive Plans to Tackle US Mental Health Crisis
As America’s mental health crisis unfortunately grows, the Biden-Harris Administration seeks to build on existing platforms to help others understand, learn of and alleviate its causes and effects
At the close of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, the White House issued a Fact-Sheet document, with the Biden-Harris Administration highlighting a comprehensive strategy to address America’s current mental health crisis.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s three-pronged blueprint includes a deep, multifaceted approach to provide better mental health assistance in the United States. For instance, efforts will be taken to build upon the current mental health system infrastructure with peer specialist hiring for the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense, along with a new Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership Pilot Program and plans for a $15 million funded center for improved behavioral health services in nursing homes and other long term health care facilities.
There’re also plans to broaden the scope of mental health care and awareness by reaching out to underrepresented communities. A $3.5 million grant for the Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community will be used to create an AANHPI Center of Excellence. The establishment will help to destigmatize the perception of mental health, while also giving the tools and education needed to address behavioral health care, among the AANHPI community.
In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration strives to introduce new programs within established agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services. With cutting-edge literature and training, an expansive base of initiatives will be utilized to improve mental health awareness and mitigate challenges in schools, workplaces, homes and other environments. At the forefront of this movement is the forthcoming Center of Excellence on Social Media and Mental Wellness set to highlight the detrimental effects of social media on the mental health of youths.
Mental health has become a topic of great discussion over the past several years. More organizations like the IHRSA Foundation and Ro Mind have forged ahead to do their part in helping to address mental health in the United States. According to the IHRSA, one in every five US adults suffers from a mental health problem and the matter has become too large to ignore. The White House’s dauntless steps in tackling the predicament to a greater degree appears to be another much needed piece to America’s mental health dilemma puzzle.
Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash
