Where some of the 2020 Candidates Stand on Mental Health

By: Ryan Lucia, July 19th, 2019

 

TRUMP: “Some of them have mental problems where they don’t even know they’re living that way,” he said. “In fact, perhaps they like living that way. They can’t do that. We cannot ruin our cities.  And you have people that work in those cities.  They work in office buildings and to get into the building, they have to walk through a scene that nobody would have believed possible three years ago.”

 

JOHN DELAYNEY:

 

Require and enforce mental health parity within the health care system to ensure that individuals who need mental and behavioral health services have the same coverage and access as those who need physical health services.

Delaney has made mental health parity a critical component of his universal health care plan to ensure everyone’s health care plans provides the necessary coverage to receive care.

 

Expand access to mental health resources for at-risk populations.

Increase the number of mental health professionals in schools to provide services to students, emphasizing early detection and intervention. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over one-third of students with a mental health condition drop out, the highest dropout rate of any disability group.2

 

Increase mental health professionals available to those incarcerated in correctional facilities. 64% of those in local jails have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition.3

 

Expand mental and behavioral telehealth options. This is particularly important in rural and underserved communities.

Invest in rural broadband to boost telehealth effectiveness.

Increase Medicaid reimbursements rates.

Increasing reimbursement rates will help to build provider networks and expand access to mental health professionals for low-income populations.

 

HICKENLOOPER:

Governor Hickenlooper helped create the Colorado State Innovation Model to help integrate physical and mental health and substance use services into primary care settings. He also started a housing program initiative, which provides wrap-around services like mental health care and job training to reduce incarceration, hospitalization, and homelessness for many of Colorado’s most vulnerable citizens.