The Month Of May Marks National Mental Health Awareness Month
Each year, May is designated as National Mental Health Awareness Month. This awareness month began as a way to educate communities about mental health conditions and provide support and resources to those individuals living with mental illness. According to a report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) last fall, 43.6 million Americans aged 18 years or older, or almost one in five adults, were affected by a mental illness in 2014. Of those 43.6 million adults, it was found 10 million people suffered from a serious mental illness that substantially interfered or limited day-to-day life activities. It is important to recognize that behavioral health conditions affect people from all walks of life and all age groups. Likewise, some individuals may only suffer from mental illness for a short period of time while others may struggle over the course of a lifetime. This is why breaking down the stigma attached to mental illness through education and outreach is key goal of National Mental Health Awareness Month.
During the 2015 Legislative Session, improving behavioral health services in the state was a priority of the membership in both chambers. As such, the legislature passed several initiatives to provide additional resources and support for behavioral health programs administered by the state. Though session has now ended, the members of the Texas House of Representatives remain focused on finding ways to help Texans affected by mental health conditions. To achieve this objective, the Speaker of the House established the Select Committee on Mental Health to comprehensively review the state’s behavioral health system and determine what, if any, improvements need to be made. Some of the issues the committee will weigh in on include mental health workforce development and retention, veteran support services, and mental health challenges within the juvenile justice system.
To learn more about SAMHSA and find more information about mental health conditions, please visit SAMHSA. For those in need of support services, SAMHSA also provides information on how to connect with mental health organizations in our area as well as the numbers for various help and prevention hotlines at SAMHSA Find Help. In Texas, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) contracts with Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) across the state to provide mental health services to communities. In our area, the Behavioral Health Center of Nueces County helps to deliver mental health services to over 10,000 residents annually as part of this program. To learn more visit the Behavioral Health Center of Nueces County.
If you would like to review more about the legislature, please visit the Texas Legislature. You can also read more about the 84th Legislative Session Interim Charges.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
