Politics in Mental Health
Donald Trump’s Plans for Mental Healthcare
If the sight of another politically oriented article makes you cringe, that is completely understandable. In the past year, all possible media outlets have been saturated with information regarding the presidential election and with the election of the most unorthodox presidential candidate in history, this is not likely to end soon. While many issues such as immigration, foreign policy, healthcare, and the role of democracy have taken center stage during most of this process, now seemed an appropriate time to analyze an issue that has received very little attention: mental healthcare.
Mental healthcare, while not at the forefront of most candidates’ platforms, including President Trump’s, is nevertheless an important issue that impacts millions of Americans. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness in a given year and one in twenty-five adults experiences a severe mental illness that keeps them from performing a life activity. It pops up in political discourse in various ways, including gun control regulations, veterans support, education and more. During his two terms as president, President Obama was vocal about increasing access to reliable mental healthcare, as well as decreasing the stigma associated with mental illnesses. He did this through legislation such as the Affordable Care Act (popularly known as Obamacare), the BRAIN initiative, and The Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force, among others. However, as Donald Trump begins his first month in office, it is unclear how- or if- he will continue President Obama’s legacy.
One of the most notable criticisms of Donald Trump during his candidacy is his lack of specific policy positions. His stance on mental healthcare is no exception. On his official website, Trump stated that reforms to mental healthcare are “needed” but does not go on to offer any of his own. Instead, he cites existing reforms already “being developed in Congress” without specifying which he is referring to. There exist a few different bills already making their way through congress that aim to make mental health treatment easier to access for patients and families. However, according to Mental Health America, a nonprofit aimed at providing resources to those with mental illnesses and promoting the good mental health of all Americans, while these bills are a step in the right direction, they are not enough. Whether President Trump intends to continue such reforms or promote any of his own remains unclear, even as the country prepares for his inauguration.
As it stands, the future of mental healthcare in the United States is hazy. If President Trump and the republican held Congress are successful in repealing the Affordable Care Act, it is unclear what will ultimately replace it. That is, if Trump sticks with his original campaign promise. Shortly after he was elected, Trump appeared on CBS’s 60 Minutes, where he softened his criticism of Obamacare and said that he would only replace parts of it. This change of tune may be a result of numerous reports stating that the complete elimination of the Affordable Care Act would cause 25 million people to be without health insurance. According to the CDC, the current rate of uninsured individuals in the United States is currently at 8.9% - an all-time low. If President Trump plans to improve healthcare laws in this country he needs to develop a formalized strategy for how to do so- otherwise, the consequences will be costly.
All of this is relevant to mental healthcare because of the numerous actions President Obama has taken to have mental healthcare included in insurance coverage on an equal level with physical healthcare. Since signing the Affordable Care Act into law in the spring of 2013, President Obama has done many things to reform mental healthcare in the United States (see timeline). This year alone he established the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force, the aim of which is to ensure that the cost of mental health treatment does not surpass the cost of physical health treatment, and in the spring he declared May to be National Mental Health Awareness Month. The bulk of these accomplishments aim to defuse the stigma associated with mental illness and encourage people to voluntarily seek treatment while simultaneously making treatment easier to access. And while some of these accomplishments are not at risk during Donald Trump’s presidency, it looks unlikely that the precedent that has been set by President Obama to further mental healthcare reform will be continued.
That is not to say that President Trump’s plan for mental health reform will not change or become more detailed in the future- it’s safe to say that he is very good at surprising us.
Timeline of Obama’s Mental Health Care Accomplishments
March 23, 2013: Affordable Care Act
President Obama signs the Affordable Care Act into law.
April, 2013: BRAIN Initiative
President Obama announces the BRAIN initiative. BRAIN is short for Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Technologies. Over $300 million in private and public investments.
February 12, 2015: Act For Veterans
President Obama signs the Clay Hunt SAV act into law, offering improved care to veterans with mental illnesses.
2015: First Aid Training
Congress passes The Mental Health First Aid Act aimed at training participants in symptoms of mental illnesses and substance use disorders, how to safely handle crisis situations and ensuring mental health and substance use resources arrive in the community in a timely manner.
March 29, 2016: Task Force
President Obama established the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force
April 28, 2016: Awareness Month
President Obama declares May to be National Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Services Available To You
UConn Counseling & Mental Health Services: 860-486-4705, open from 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m. on weekdays.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, also available for a live online chat. Available 24/7. Your call is toll-free and kept confidential.
SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline: 1-877-726-4727, A live person is available from 8a.m. – 8p.m. EST to give you general information on mental health and treatment centers near you.
Crisis Text Line: Text NAMI to 741-741. Receive free, 24/7 help from a trained crisis counselor.