[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 109 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   WHERE THERE IS HELP, THERE IS HOPE

  (Mr. DOLD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, today, there are over 11 million Americans 
struggling without proper treatment and care for mental health 
illnesses.
  Our system is riddled with inefficiencies, as various agencies patch 
together different programs with little to no coordination. Because of 
this massive failure, patients far too often end up in the criminal 
justice system or on the streets, because the services are just not 
available.
  This week, Congress took decisive action to fix this problem by 
passing a bill that I helped introduce with Representative Tim Murphy 
of Pennsylvania, 422-2. Our bill will genuinely save lives and improve 
the quality of life for families all across this Nation.
  The bipartisan Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act is a 
perfect example of what we can accomplish when we set aside partisan 
differences and get to work for the people that we represent. This bill 
prioritizes treatment to proactively prevent tragedy, emphasizing 
programs and resources that focus on getting patients the care they 
need.
  In short, Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan bill takes mental illness out 
of the shadows of ignorance, because we know that where there is help, 
there is hope.

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