Washington, DC – June 22, 2022....Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) today voted to pass the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022 to help support Americans suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders, which have been exacerbated during the coronavirus pandemic. The bipartisan legislation supports key programs that promote access to behavioral health care and comprehensive services for those seeking help.

Congressman Womack said, “From children to adults, stress and isolation have profoundly impacted the well-being of Americans. We need to bring the silent epidemic of mental health and substance abuse issues out of the shadows. Targeted resources to help those struggling is how we transform lives and communities. This bill will help deliver hope, healing, and life-saving services.” 

Provisions of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022 include:

• Reauthorizes many programs through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA);
• Boosts children’s access to pediatric mental health care through their primary care providers;
• Helps states and communities provide early intervention, comprehensive treatment, and recovery services for children and young adults with substance use and mental health disorders;
• Supports community mental health services for children with serious emotional disturbances through crisis-care services and other early intervention activities;
• Bolsters youth suicide prevention efforts in states, tribes, and higher education;
• Delivers more coordinated substance use disorder care, as well as explicitly reauthorizes funding for recovery support services;
• Supports care for maternal health and substance use disorders, which are among the leading causes of death for pregnant and postpartum women; and
• Ensures the Biden Administration can’t use taxpayer dollars for crack pipe distribution.

The bill passage comes as millions of Americans have experienced a decline in mental health and a surge in drug overdoses since the start of the pandemic. One in five adults is battling a mental illness. Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14, and earlier this year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report finding that four in ten high school students said they felt persistently sad or hopeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. The opioid crisis also continues to devastate families and communities all around the nation. More than 100,000 Americans lost their lives due to drug overdoses last year and, fentanyl is now the number one cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45. Womack’s vote tonight builds on his previous efforts, including his work to introduce the Preventing Mental Health and Substance Use Crises During Emergencies Act, to support public health.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Original source can be found here.