SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING
ON MENTAL HEALTH
We need to tell Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand that it's time to repeal the discriminatory IMD exclusion
This Thursday, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee will hold a full committee hearing entitled, "Mental Health in America: Where Are We Now?" But families don't need a Senate hearing to answer this question - we know we are trapped in a mental health system that is not delivering enough adequate care and is preventing the access to long-term psychiatric beds for people with serious mental illnesses.
It doesn't have to be this way. The Senate Finance Committee finally has the opportunity to reform the discriminatory IMD exclusion. Reform will end decades of federal discrimination that prevents federal funding from paying for needed psychiatric care. We need to tell our Senators that what is needed is #aBedInstead. Instead of a jail cell. Instead of sleeping on the streets. Instead of a life lost.
But they must hear from you!
TAKE ACTION!!!
Let Our Senators Know the Time is Now to Reform the IMD Exclusion
New York Senator Chuck Schumer is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and while he is a co-sponsor of S.1945, he still needs to hear from us on the importance of reforming the IMD exclusion.
Click here to send him an email. In the "How can Chuck help?" section please use the option, "Share your opinion or comments on bills or other issues." In the body of the email please copy and paste this message:
"Senator Schumer, as someone impacted by mental illness, I want to first thank you for co-sponsoring S.1945. I am also writing to express my enthusiasm about the upcoming Senate Finance Committee hearing "Mental Health in America: Where Are We Now?" scheduled for April 28th. As the committee explores this important issue, I urge you and your follow Senators to discuss reforming the IMD exclusion. This discriminatory practice has created a barrier preventing people with the most serious and persistent forms of mental illness from accessing long-term inpatient psychiatric care. The inability to access a long-term psychiatric bed can lead people to more disastrous outcomes such as living on the streets, being incarcerated or being overly dependent on hospital emergency rooms which are not equipped to address their specialized needs. I urge you and your colleagues to help this vulnerable population and steer them away such tragic outcomes by making sure the most appropriate form of care is available to them, This is only possible by reforming the IMD exclusion. Thank you in advance for your attention to this important matter."
We also urge you to call Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's office at 1-202-224-4451 and tell them:
"On April 28th the Senate Finance Committee will be holding a hearing entitled "Mental Health in America: Where Are We Now?" As someone impacted by mental illness, I can tell you that where we are is a place where people with the most serious forms of mental illness are not able to access the long-term care they need because of the IMD exclusion. I urge Senator Gillibrand to become a sponsor of S.1945 and join the fight to reform the discriminatory practice of the IMD exclusion."
Thank you for Taking Action
Hope Starts With You!!!
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