Urge Congress to Support the EARLY Minds Act!

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Join Us in Asking Congress to Support the EARLY Minds Act!

Prevention and early intervention strategies have demonstrated success in improving mental health outcomes for all, especially for young people, yet states currently have no dedicated federal funding source to help serve children and families before significant emotional distress occurs. Even after becoming eligible for funding, it is often difficult for families to find needed care nearby.

That is why MHA has fought for introduction of H.R. 7808, the Early Action and Responsiveness Lifts Youth (EARLY) Minds Act. This legislation would provide states with flexibility within the Mental Health Block Grant to offer education, outreach, supports, and services to young people before they reach severe distress or crisis. The block grant is the primary source of funding to states for mental health services and it is restricted from being used to help individuals when signs of a mental health condition first start. It requires significant distress and disability for funds to be used.

Every day, over 15,000 peopletake a mental health screen through Mental Health America’s (MHA’s) online screening program to assess their mental health, and nearly forty percent of screeners are 17 years or younger. The screening results of this age group reflect severity levels higher than those of other age groups. And, while Congress has held over 50 hearings and markups on mental health policies in the last several years, the EARLY Minds Act has not yet been enacted.

This is where you come in – please join us in taking a moment today to reach out to your members of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor this critical bill. As a constituent, the most important voice Congress can hear from is yours, so it is crucial that you make your support for this legislation known!

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Urge Your Members of Congress to Invest in Sustainable Funding for Mental Health in FY 2024

MHA affiliates are meeting with congressional offices on Wednesday, March 8th, to elevate the needs of individuals on the ground and request funding increases for states and for federal programs that promote mental health and crisis response. We are also seeking additional coverage of peer specialists in Medicare.

Last year, we saw unprecedented investment in mental health programs and services by Congress. But, many officials think they are done. Help us make them understand that one-time funding just won’t cut it.

As our country faces continued impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, we ask you to send a letter to your elected officials in support of: prevention and early intervention in the Mental Health Block Grant, youth-focused initiatives at the CDC, peer support coverage in Medicare, and 988 operations and education.

Please take action now!

US Senators and Representatives in your state and district

Subject: Constituent Request: Co-Sponsor the EARLY Minds Act (H.R. 7808)

Message:

Thank you for your work to improve mental health services and supports nationwide. As Congress debates health care and public health issues, I urge you to put mental health prevention and early intervention at the top of your mind and support the EARLY Minds Act. 50% of mental conditions present signs by age 14 and research shows that by improving awareness of mental health through education and outreach before a crisis, chronic and persistent mental illness can be mitigated and even prevented. Supports for pre-adolescents and their families that strengthen protective factors have been shown to reduce the incidence of depression in adolescents. Psychotherapy and related support services to reduce stressors have prevented the onset of psychosis among those at high risk. And, mental health services provided by community providers in school-linked programs have been shown to improve attendance, academics, and behavior. Unfortunately, the majority of adolescents are currently unable to benefit from these services when they are funded by the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) because of restrictions limiting care to children with significant impairment only. In contrast, the Substance Abuse Block Grant has a 20% set aside for prevention built into it, but the MHBG does not allow states to use funds for upstream services. That is why I am asking you to support H.R. 7808, the Early Action and Responsiveness Lifts Youth (EARLY) Minds Act, introduced by Congressman Pfluger and Congresswoman Castor. This legislation would provide states with the flexibility to use up to 5% of their MHBG funds for prevention and early intervention activities, including outreach and education. This bill is one step in the right direction toward offering a full continuum of community behavioral services, starting with an allowable use for prevention and early intervention. We appreciate Congress’ efforts on the 988 Lifeline and other important downstream activities. It is now time to focus on ensuring young people don’t have to get to the point of crisis to access help because crisis is never a win. Thank you for considering joining legislative champions Reps. Pfluger and Castor and co-sponsoring the EARLY Minds Act.

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