    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [April 29, 2002]
    [Pages 676-679]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico
    April 29, 2002

        Well, thank you very much for that warm, New Mexican welcome. It's
    nice to be back in this beautiful State. I'm particularly delighted to
    be sharing the podium with a remarkable American, Pete
    Domenici. He didn't finish the story. After
    I interrupted him, he re-interrupted me--[laughter]--and gave me my
    marching orders. [Laughter] I said, ``Yes, sir, Mr. Senator.''
    [Laughter]
        No, I really enjoy working with Pete,
    and I appreciate so very much that leaders such as Pete have been
    working to make America a more welcoming place for people with
    disabilities. The work is progressing. We are making progress, but it
    certainly isn't finished. There's a lot to do, and some of the greatest
    health needs and obstacles and stigmas concern mental health. We are
    determined to confront the hidden suffering of Americans with mental
    illness.
        Pete and I share a lot in common. We
    love the Southwest. We care deeply about issues that face our country.
    And we both married above ourselves. [Laughter] I love being with Pete
    and Nancy, because their love and respect for each other is so evident
    and so profound. And I love watching Nancy's
    face, because it reveals and is a window into a compassionate heart. And
    I want to thank Nancy Domenici.
        I also want to thank Charles Curie for
    coming. Pete introduced Charles. Charles is
    a good hand, and I appreciate him being here. I also want to thank Phil
    Eaton and all the good folks here at the
    University of New Mexico. I'm so honored also to be traveling today with
    Heather Wilson. Heather is a solid citizen
    who brings a lot of dignity to the office she holds and a lot of class.
    And I'm proud to call her friend. I want to thank the State officials
    who are here, the Lieutenant Governor, thank
    you for coming.
        I also want to tell you about a lady I met named Lucy
    Salazar. Where's Lucy? Is she here? Lucy, thank
    you for coming. It's kind of off the subject but really not off the
    subject, because one of the things I try to do when I go into
    communities is herald soldiers in the armies of compassion, those souls
    who have heard the call

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    to love a neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself and have
    followed through on that call, the selfless citizens whose compassion
    for their neighbor is really one of the things that makes America so
    strong and powerful, particularly as we stand tall in the face of evil.
        I like to tell my fellow citizens that if you're interested in
    fighting evil--which, by the way, we're going to do--if you're
    interested--[laughter]. But one way to help is do some good. And it's
    that collective good that will define the true value and character of
    our country.
        And Lucy Salazar is a retired Federal
    Government worker. She teaches reading skills to pre-kindergarten and
    kindergarten children. She's incredibly important. She helps those with
    disabilities participate in the fine and performing arts. She volunteers
    through her church. She is a great citizen, and oftentimes, citizens
    such as her never get the praise they deserve. Lucy, thank you for
    coming and representing thousands of people like you.
        Millions of Americans--millions--are impaired at work, at school, or
    at home by episodes of mental illness. Many are disabled by severe and
    persistent mental problems. These illnesses affect individuals; they
    affect their families; and they affect our country.
        As many Americans know, it is incredibly painful to watch someone
    you love struggle with an illness that affects their mind and their
    feelings and their relationships with others. We heard stories today in
    a roundtable discussion about that--what the struggle means for family.
        Remarkable treatments exist, and that's good. Yet many people--too
    many people--remain untreated. Some end up addicted to drugs or alcohol.
    Some end up on the streets, homeless. Others end up in our jails, our
    prisons, our juvenile detention facilities.
        Our country must make a commitment: Americans with mental illness
    deserve our understanding, and they deserve excellent care. They deserve
    a health care system that treats their illness with the same urgency as
    a physical illness. To meet this goal, we've got to overcome obstacles,
    and I want to talk about three such obstacles this morning.
        The first obstacle is the stigma, the stigma that often surrounds
    mental illness, a stigma caused by a history of misunderstanding, fear,
    and embarrassment. Stigma leads to isolation and discourages people from
    seeking the treatment they need. Political leaders, health care
    professionals, and all Americans must understand and send this message:
    Mental disability is not a scandal; it is an illness. And like physical
    illness, it is treatable, especially when the treatment comes early.
        Today, new drugs and therapies have vastly improved the outlook for
    millions of Americans with the most serious mental illnesses and for
    millions more with less severe illnesses. The treatment success rates
    for schizophrenia and clinical depression are comparable to those for
    heart disease. That's good news in America, and we must encourage more
    and more Americans to understand and to seek more treatment.
        The second obstacle to quality mental health care is our fragmented
    mental health service delivery system. Mental health centers and
    hospitals, homeless shelters, the justice system, and our schools all
    have contact with individuals suffering from mental disorders. Yet, many
    of these disorders are difficult to diagnose. This makes it even harder
    to provide the mentally ill with the care they need. Many Americans fall
    through the cracks of the current system. Many years and lives are lost
    before help, if it is given at all, is given.
        Consider this example--and for the experts in the field, they will
    confirm this is a story which is oftentimes too true--a 14-year-old boy
    who started experimenting with drugs to ease his severe depression. That
    happens. This former honor student became a drug addict. He dropped out
    of school, was incarcerated 6 times in

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    16 years. Only 2 years ago, when he was 30 years old, did the doctors
    finally diagnose his condition as bipolar disorder, and he began a
    successful program, a successful long-term treatment program.
        And to make sure that the cracks are closed, I am honored to
    announce what we call the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. It is
    charged to study the problems and gaps in our current system of
    treatment and to make concrete recommendations for immediate
    improvements that will be implemented, and these will be improvements
    that can be implemented and must be implemented by the Federal
    Government, the State Government, local agencies, as well as public and
    private health care providers.
        To chair the Commission, I've selected Michael Hogan, Dr. Hogan. I appreciate your coming, Michael. Dr.
    Hogan has served as the Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health
    for more than 10 years and is recognized as a leader in this profession.
    He has been focused, as a State official, on how our mental health
    system works and how it doesn't work.
        I look forward to the Commission's findings. I look forward to their
    proposals. I look forward to making progress and fixing the system so
    that Americans do not fall through the cracks.
        The third major obstacle to effective mental health care is the
    often unfair treatment limitations placed on mental health in insurance
    coverage. Many private health insurance plans have developed effective
    programs to identify patients with mental illnesses, and they help them
    get their treatment they need to regain their health.
        But insurance plans too often place greater restrictions on the
    treatment of mental illness than on the treatment of other medical
    illnesses. As a result, some Americans are unable to get effective
    medical treatments that would allow them to function well in their daily
    lives.
        Our health insurance system must treat serious mental illness like
    any other disease. And that was Senator Domenici's message to me at the Oval Office. [Laughter] And it was
    Nancy's message when we had them up for
    dinner. [Laughter] And I want to appreciate the fact that they have
    worked tirelessly on this problem.
        I have a record on this issue. As the Governor of Texas, I signed a
    bill to ensure that patients who critically need mental health are
    treated fairly. Senator Domenici and I
    share this commitment: Health plans should not be allowed to apply
    unfair treatment limitations or financial requirements on mental health
    benefits.
        It is critical that we provide full--as we provide full mental
    health parity, that we do not significantly run up the cost of health
    care. I'll work with the Senator. I will
    work with the Speaker. I will work with
    their House and Senate colleagues to reach an agreement on mental health
    parity this year.
        We must work for a welcoming and compassionate society, a society
    where no American is dismissed and no American is forgotten. This is the
    great and hopeful story of our country, and we can write another
    chapter. We must give all Americans who suffer from mental illness the
    treatment and the respect they deserve.
        Thank you all. God bless.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:34 a.m. at the Continuing Education
    Center. In his remarks, he referred to Charles G. Curie, Administrator,
    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of
    Health and Human Services; R. Philip Eaton, interim vice president,
    Health Sciences, University of New Mexico; and Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley
    of New Mexico. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks. The Executive order of April 29
    establishing the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health is
    listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.

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