Gus Bilirakis Showcases Tim Murphy's Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act

From his perch on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., went to bat for U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy’s, R-Penn., “Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act” on Tuesday. Bilirakis noted at a roundtable event on Tuesday that 10 million Americans are suffering from severe mental illness and pointed to reports s from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that around 40 percent of them do not get treatment. 

 
“Mental health issues do not discriminate based on age, gender, or race,” Bilirais said. “We must remove the stigma surrounding these issues. Mental wounds are just as serious as physical ones. The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act is a solid step in the right direction – it represents a bipartisan approach to reforming our broken mental health system.”

Murphy’s bill increases access to mental health-services, reforms current grant guidelines in the field and creates a blueprint to ensure more health professionals focus on mental health. 
 
Bilirakis, the vice chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, also noted Murphy’s bill was a veterans’ issue.  

“I am especially concerned about our nation’s veterans – too many are suffering from TBI or PTS, but don’t have access to the mental health treatments they need,” Bilirakis said. “This bill will help all Americans living with mental health issues, including our nation’s heroes.
 
“The shortage of treatment options and mental health professionals has resulted in too many mentally ill people becoming homeless or incarcerated,” Bilirakis said in conclusion. “We need reform, and we need it now.”