Support National Legislation to Provide Needed Mental Health Care To Those Affected by Hurricanes

The government wants to help victims of natural disasters but is overlooking one of the most serious consequences of these tragedies:

Mental health

As state and local officials struggle to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, immediate assistance has taken the form of food, housing, transportation and medical assistance. But many federal policy makers are overlooking the mental health needs of victims.  In fact, only one bill has been introduced in Congress that specifically provides mental health services to victims, both those with existing conditions, as well as those who are vulnerable to mental illness as a result of the trauma they have endured.  Unfortunately, that bill has still not emerged from Congress.

The Emergency Health Care Relief Act (S. 1716) introduced by Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Max Baucus (D-MT) would provide immediate and uniform health coverage for all survivors of Hurricane Katrina without current income.  (While the legislation was introduced before Hurricane Rita, its provisions should be expanded to include those victims as well.)

The legislation would:

• Provide early intervention services and appropriate follow-up treatment for those displaced.

• Continue essential treatment for victims with serious mental illness pre-dating the disaster.

• Offer assistance to state and local mental health care systems overwhelmed by an influx of new patients.

In addition, the legislation would offer Medicaid funding to provide mental health services that include:

• Screening, assessment, and diagnostic services

• Alcohol and substance abuse treatment for conditions determined to be Hurricane-related

• In-patient mental health care; and family counseling.

Despite this recognition that a deterioration of mental health among victims can be a direct result of these natural disasters, the Administration and the House leadership oppose this legislation.

The Administration would prefer that victims obtain waivers for Medicaid-funded mental health care on a state-by-state basis.  That approach would provide different levels of service and different rules for evacuees, depending on the state they had relocated to.

Furthermore, the Administration’s plan would direct states to conduct an analysis of assets for applicants when most evacuees have no idea whether they even have any “assets.”

To delay needed mental health care to a vulnerable population only worsens this existing tragedy. For an estimated 30 percent of hurricane victims and relief workers, the trauma they have experienced places them at greater risk of severe depression, anxiety disorders and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Evidence has shown that early mental health interventions can prevent or mitigate these outcomes.

Congress and the Administration must act now to include those already suffering from mental illness, as well as those who may suffer as a result of these tragedies, in our nation’s disaster relief efforts.

Click on the following link to contact your legislators and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD NOW!