[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9387-9388]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of National 
Mental Health Awareness Month to fight the stigma associated with 
mental illness that discourages people from seeking help and raise 
awareness of disparities in access to mental health services.
  The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that while only 6 
percent of Americans suffer from a serious mental illness, over a 
quarter of adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given 
year. These illnesses--depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, phobias, 
personality and body image disorders, and substance addictions--are 
real diseases with proven treatments.
  Mental health determines how we make decisions, handle stress, and 
relate to others, consequently affecting our relationships with our 
families, our colleagues, and our communities. Normally defined as how 
one thinks, feels, behaves, and copes, mental health is as integral to 
our well-being as our physical health. However, mental health disorders 
are chronically underdiagnosed and undertreated.
  While public education and awareness campaigns can go a long way in 
addressing the stigma associated with mental health disorders, improved 
access to high-quality mental health care should be a national 
priority. Unfortunately, access to mental health services is often more 
disparate than access to medical care, particularly in rural areas. 
Rural States like South Dakota have long struggled to recruit and 
retain an adequate mental health workforce to meet the needs of their 
citizens. I am pleased the new health reform law will increase 
investments in the health care workforce, including mental health 
providers. Increased access to adequate and meaningful health insurance 
coverage has also been addressed with health reform, ensuring more 
Americans can obtain the care they need. All too often, insurance 
companies have failed to cover mental health services or impose 
restrictive measures on the scope and duration of the treatment. Last 
Congress, I was proud to cosponsor and support passage of the Paul 
Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity 
Act, which ensures health insurance coverage for mental health services 
is comparable to coverage of physical ailments.
  In the short term, however, I remain deeply concerned about our 
Nation's mental health safety net. I recently joined several colleagues 
in support of increased funding for comprehensive community services 
for low income and uninsured people living with mental illnesses. While 
the economic downturn has placed an additional financial strain on 
Federal, State, and family budgets, community mental health centers and 
other safety net providers are simultaneously reporting a significant 
increase in demand for mental health and addiction services. We must 
continue our investment in these critical mental health programs for 
those most in need.
  I recognize that mental illness affects many South Dakotans. It is my 
hope that awareness efforts throughout the month of May will help 
recognize the need for improved access to services, promote overall 
health and well-being, reduce the stigma associated with mental 
disorders, and encourage

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Americans to seek help when they need it.

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