CEO DATELINE - Coalition announces roadmap for prioritizing mental health care
CEO DATELINE - Coalition announces roadmap for prioritizing mental health care
- December 17, 2020 |
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Kathryn Walson
A coalition of 14 CEOs at professional associations and mental health advocacy organizations has launched a roadmap to advocate for changes at federal, state and local levels.
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The plan, titled "A Unified Vision for Transforming Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care," calls for policies, programs and standards that prioritize mental health care and address lack of access to treatment for people of color and the poor. The plan offers "pathways for success" across seven policy areas.
More than half of Americans struggle with mental health issues stemming from the pandemic, including anxiety, depression, isolation, addiction, domestic abuse and suicide, according to the coalition.
"The mental health crisis that has evolved along with the COVID pandemic is unprecedented," the coalition said in a statement. "The levies have broken on an overwhelmed system of care, and state leadership must move to address mental health care as an integral aspect of their pandemic response. As leaders in mental health care, we offer a viable roadmap for immediate and long-term changes that will lead to a mental health care system capable of saving our nation."
The CEO coalition was established in early 2020, and the group started meeting in emergency sessions weekly. Association founding members include the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare. The convening CEOs are Daniel Gillison of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Tyler Norris of the Well Being Trust.
"Everyone acknowledges that there is a problem," Arthur Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association, said in a statement. "What distinguishes our plan is that we offer specific, workable priorities and solutions for meeting current needs for millions of Americans and transforming the system of care for the future. We welcome the opportunity to work with local and state leaders and to provide many more details on our plan."
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