 |
 |
 |
learn more |
news and updates |
campaign principles |
sign the petition |
get involved |
members/ partners |
resources and links |
|
|
PRINCIPLES Structure Citizen’s committee of families and advocates with support and involvement from Active Minds, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Families USA, The Jed Foundation, Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA and TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University. Goal Build policy rationale and political support for increased public sector support of mental health checkups for young people with the goal of including mental health annual assessments for young people in routine medical care through broad-based health care reform. Strategies
Prescription for Leadership: Government Actions Needed for Youth and Young Adult Mental Health Checkups Over 21 million young people visited a health care professional last year, but only a small fraction were asked any questions about the number one contributor to poor life outcomes- their mental health. One in eight young people may have depression, and suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. Yet, two-thirds of youth and young adults who have mental health problems do not get the help that they need. Increased access to mental health checkups could lead to early diagnosis and treatment of these disorders and thus prevent worsening conditions or suicide. Federal and state governments already play a pivotal role in a range of prevention efforts to protect the health of young people including child immunizations, alcohol and drug abuse prevention, and diabetes and nutrition education. Today, we call on federal and state officials to act on the following principles: Principle 1: The President and leaders in Congress should include in federal health care reform a commitment to incorporating mental heath checkups as a routine part of adolescent health care. Principle 2: Federal and state governments should promote access to voluntary mental health checkups for all Americans between the ages of 11 and 24. Principle 3: Federal and state governments should support a national education effort to increase public awareness about mental health checkups for young people and the impact of detecting mental disorders early. Principle 4: Federal and state governments should work with health care providers and the insurance industry to ensure that mental health checkups are seen as a key first step to implementation of parity for mental health and are integrated into routine health care for young people. Principle 5: Young people receiving care and prevention services through federal and state-supported health programs including Medicaid, CHIP, FEHBP, TRICARE and the Indian Health Service should be offered mental health checkups. Principle 6: Appropriate federal and state agencies should initiate priority plans to expand mental health checkup programs to populations at elevated risk for suicide and mental illness. Principle 7: Federal and state governments should support ongoing evaluation and improvement of the efficacy and impact of mental health checkups. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, one in ten young Americans suffer from mental illness, but only one in five receives the treatment or services they need. Providing mental health checkups to America’s young people is essential in addressing the needs of those with mental illnesses. Modern health care has shifted to a system, which focuses on prevention as a means to circumvent chronic illness; this must include mental health care. Federal and state policy makers must take steps to ensure that access to voluntary mental health checkups for teens and young adults are available to every American family. Principle 1: Federal health care reform should include access to voluntary mental health checkups for all Americans between the ages of 11 and 24. 1.1 The President and leaders in Congress should include in federal health care reform a commitment to incorporating mental heath checkups as a routine part of adolescent health care. Principle 2: Federal and state governments should promote access to voluntary mental health checkups for all Americans between the ages of 11 and 24. 2.1 The President, members of Congress, Governors, and their respective political parties should include in their health care proposals and national platforms a commitment to offering families mental heath checkups, and ensuring this service is a reimbursable activity when it takes place in medical settings or is conducted by a licensed health care professional, ensuring parity with screenings like those for vision, scoliosis, hearing, diabetes and obesity. Principle 3: Federal and state governments should support a national education effort to increase public awareness about mental health checkups for young people and the impact of detecting mental disorders early. 3.1 The President, members of Congress, Governors, and administration officials should pledge to support a national initiative or public health campaign by NIMH, MCHB, SAMHSA or CDC to increase public awareness about the benefits of mental health checkups for young people. 3.2 The President, members of Congress, Governors, and administration officials should support the creation of materials to educate health professionals and provide continuing education programs that emphasize the problem of undiagnosed mental illness and provide mental health assessment program implementation guidelines. Principle 4: Federal and state governments should work with health care providers and the insurance industry to ensure that mental health checkups are integrated into routine health care for young people. 4.1 Develop a plan with private insurers to provide reimbursement to health care providers who initiate or respond to a parent or patient request for a mental health checkup. 4.2 Commitment to this principle is a commitment to ensuring that families have access to mental health checkups, and that health care coverage and financial concerns should not dictate who has access to these potentially life saving programs. Principle 5: Young people receiving care and prevention services through federal and state-supported health programs should be offered mental health checkups. 5.1 Provide reimbursement for mental health checkups to healthcare providers offering school-based primary and emergency health care through all public sector programs providing health services to Americans between the ages of 11-24. 5.2 The Department of Defense will be included in this initiative to also ensure proper coverage for family members of active duty personnel under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS), now operating under the name TRICARE. Principle 6: Appropriate federal and state agencies should initiate priority plans to expand mental health checkup programs to populations at elevated risk for suicide and mental illness. 6.1 Instruct appropriate federal and state agencies to initiate priority plans within 12 months to expand mental health checkups to populations at elevated risk for suicide and impairment. The Department of Defense will be included in this initiative to also ensure proper coverage for family members of active duty personnel. 6.2 Instruct appropriate federal and state agencies to incorporate mental health checkups for young people into medical records planning and reform. Principle 7: Federal and state governments should support ongoing evaluation and improvement of the efficacy and impact of mental health checkups. Measuring and publicly reporting the success of mental health checkup programs will drive improvement in the quality of evidence-based screening programs, while providing families and service providers with vital information for decision making and professional development. 7.1 Congress should direct SAMHSA to issue a report on the status and success of private and public entities implementing mental health assessment programs with federal and state funds. 7.2Instruct appropriate federal and state agencies to further develop demonstration and research programs to improve mental health assessment instruments and develop best practices for mental health checkups and referrals. 7.3 If elected, agree to support appointment of public health officials qualified and committed to expanding access to mental health checkups for young Americans between the ages of 11 and 24. Back to Top |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
Contact Us Press Room Privacy/Legal |
|||