President Barack Obama said he wants mental health issues elevated to a national discussion as he convened aconference today that follows up on last December’s shootings at a Connecticut elementary school that killed 20 children and six educators.
Obama said his goal is to “bring mental illness out of the shadows.” “We want to let people living with mental health challenges knowthey aren’t alone,” Obama said at the White House as he opened the one-day meeting with Cabinet members and advocates.
The issue affects many returning veterans and millions of people who suffer in isolation or without treatment, he said. While Obama didn’tdirectly mention the Connecticut shootings, he said the impact can be seen “in the tragedies that we have the power to prevent.”
National MHA president Wayne Lindstrom was joined by about 150 health-care providers, mental health experts and advocates, lawmakers, religious leaders and representatives of state and local government.
The day-long conference, one of 23 executive orders signed by the president after the Connecticut shootings, comes after the Senate rejected Obama’s proposal plan to widen background checks for firearms purchases and banassault weapons.
Obama said the Veterans Affairs department will conduct conferences at its 151 health-care centers between July 1 and September 15 to help boost awareness of mental health programs for veterans.
The government started a new website today, www.mentalhealth.gov,a clearing house for information, including a section on how to get help.
For full article post see http://www.ffcmh.org/article/obama-says-us-must-take-mental-health-treatment-out-shadows
The issue affects many returning veterans and millions of people who suffer in isolation or without treatment, he said. While Obama didn’tdirectly mention the Connecticut shootings, he said the impact can be seen “in the tragedies that we have the power to prevent.”
National MHA president Wayne Lindstrom was joined by about 150 health-care providers, mental health experts and advocates, lawmakers, religious leaders and representatives of state and local government.
The day-long conference, one of 23 executive orders signed by the president after the Connecticut shootings, comes after the Senate rejected Obama’s proposal plan to widen background checks for firearms purchases and banassault weapons.
Obama said the Veterans Affairs department will conduct conferences at its 151 health-care centers between July 1 and September 15 to help boost awareness of mental health programs for veterans.
The government started a new website today, www.mentalhealth.gov,a clearing house for information, including a section on how to get help.
For full article post see http://www.ffcmh.org/article/obama-says-us-must-take-mental-health-treatment-out-shadows
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