CÁRDENAS, KENNEDY INTRODUCE CRISIS COUNSELING ACT
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tony Cárdenas and Congressman Joe Kennedy III introduced the Crisis Counseling Act, which would automatically approve requests by any state, territory, and tribe for a Crisis Counseling and Training Program (CCP) after it had been granted a Stafford Act declaration. The legislation would remove bureaucratic hurdles that delayed critical support for communities as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the United States.
“Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. As our nation responds to the coronavirus pandemic, we must not ignore the mental health crisis that our country faces,” said Congressman Cárdenas. “I’m proud to join my colleague Joe Kennedy in introducing this commonsense bill to remove unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to mental and substance abuse care.”
“A nation in crisis cannot allow bureaucratic barriers to deny people in crisis the care that they need,” said Congressman Kennedy. “Once again, this pandemic has exposed our government’s failure to treat mental health and substance use disorders with the urgency they deserve. Under the Crisis Counseling Act, we can strengthen our response in critical moments now and for any future disaster.”
The Crisis Counseling Act has earned the support of the following organizations: American Association on Health and Disability, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Mental Health Counselors Association, American Psychological Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, The Kennedy Forum, Lakeshore Foundation, National Association of County Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Directors, National Association for Rural Mental Health, and National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.
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