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Rep.Thanedar introduces bill to support veterans’ mental health
Thanedar has introduced a series of bills to promote mental health this year.
Rep. Thanedar. / Shri for Congress
Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar has introduced legislation to prioritize the mental health of Veterans and enable them to receive treatment from their existing mental health providers even after they transition out of active duty service.
H.R. 9091, the “Mental Health Care Provider Retention Act of 2024”, aims to provide a legislative solution to address the disproportionate rate at which mental health issues affect the armed forces in comparison to the general population.
“Our servicemembers and veterans suffer from mental health issues at a disproportionate rate compared to the general population. We need immediate legislative action to help solve the mental health crisis affecting the members of our armed forces, past and present,” said Rep. Thanedar.
“By ensuring that our service members have continuity of their mental health care, my legislation will support our troops as they make the difficult transition from active duty service members to private citizens. We need legislation that fights for our service members in the same way that they have fought for us, and my legislation does just that,” he added.
In June this year, Thanedar introduced the “Improving Access to Institutional Mental Health Care Act” which seeked to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act that excludes medical assistance provided to patients in institutions for mental diseases from the Medicaid program.
He emphasized the urgent need for accessible mental health support, particularly for individuals in institutional settings who often lack adequate support during their most critical times of need.
The Congressman from Michigan highlighted the necessity of prioritizing mental health to the same extent as physical health. "Silent, unseen battles are just as deadly as the ones visible to the naked eye," he said. "It’s high time we started making mental health resources more accessible."
Additionally, in May this year, Thanedar introduced a resolution prioritizing mental health to the same extent as physical health to tackle the epidemics of suicide and drug overdose in the US. This resolution seeks to affirm that mental health conditions warrant the same level of attention as physical health conditions.
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