Voters hungering for substance in a style-heavy presidential race ought to take a new look at one of the most praiseworthy but overlooked policy proposals of the campaign: Hillary Clinton’s intelligent framework for mental health reform.
Voters hungering for substance in a style-heavy presidential race ought to take a new look at one of the most praiseworthy but overlooked policy proposals of the campaign: Hillary Clinton’s intelligent framework for mental health reform.
Mental illness is far more common than many people realize, which is why the Democratic nominee’s decision to make this one of her signature issues is laudable and, given the stigma surrounding these conditions, courageous. About 18 percent of U.S. adults reported having a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Regrettably, fewer than half received treatment, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Access to care also is a huge concern for adolescents.
The proposed Clinton reforms are notable for their practical prescriptions to improve care now and in the future. Rather than champion an idealized but politically impassable version of health care — as Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders did with government-operated insurance for all — Clinton builds on the current system.
Her changes are not revolutionary, but they are focused and eminently doable. The level of detail also stands in welcome contrast to the stale talking points about health savings accounts and buying health insurance across state lines on Republican Donald Trump’s website.
The myriad improvements Clinton calls for include bolstering federal funding for brain and behavioral science research, leveraging federal resources and programs to educate more mental health specialists, tapping the U.S. surgeon general to lead a national suicide prevention initiative, and expanding innovative mental health screening models for schoolchildren, college students and new mothers.
In an election year when so many voters say they want a president willing to take on entrenched interests, the Clinton reforms ought to be seen as an actual battle plan to do so.
— Star Tribune (Minneapolis)