It’s no secret that many people don’t have access to mental health care. Right now, members of the House of Representatives are pushing for a bill that would change that.
The Securing Facilities for Mental Health Services Act aims to expand mental health care nationwide. If enacted, the law would allow inpatient psychiatric facilities to apply for mortgage assistance and give those hospitals more access to funding. Supporters of the bill said psychiatric hospitals would be able to add more beds to their facilities.
Currently, the measure has bipartisan support in the House.
“When you’re sending someone who has a significant mental health crisis back out onto the street, it’s just a matter of time before they harm themselves, or perhaps worse yet, others,” said Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN). “And they may end up in the legal system. We need to treat the condition, and this is no different than having a broken leg.”
Emmer and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced the bill.
In 2021, the National Institutes of Health released a study that revealed the U.S. has 21 psychiatric beds for every 100,000 individuals, which is 40% less than what we need.