{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-applauds-passage-of-bill-to-strengthen-mental-health-resources", "Kuster Applauds Passage of Bill to Strengthen Mental Health Resources", "2016-07-06", "2016", "2016-07", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 This afternoon, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) applauded the House passage of H.R. 2646, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015, bipartisan legislation that would improve individuals\u2019 and families\u2019 abilities to access critical support services during times of crisis. Kuster is a cosponsor of the bill, which passed the House with a vote of 422-2.\n\u201cWe all know that mental illness is one of the most pressing issues facing our state and our country, though as a society we are often hesitant to address this issue head-on. But as we\u2019ve learned through the ongoing opioid epidemic, addiction and substance use disorder \u2013 the issues that are grabbing our headlines \u2013 are more often than not connected to mental illness as co-occurring disorders. We owe it to the estimated eight million individuals living with co-occurring disorders, as well as their families, to change the culture and ensure folks have access to the care and support they deserve. I am proud to support this legislation and urge my Senate counterparts to swiftly pass the bill.\u201d\n\"I applaud Representative Kuster's important work on mental illness. She certainly has a grasp of the challenges mental health presents for many people and families in New Hampshire and her commitment to find solutions. She is a respected, compassionate and informed voice on mental illness. Her bipartisan support for H.R. 2646 is another demonstration of her willingness to advance sound public policy without regard to the partisan divide,\" said John Broderick, former Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and a co-chair of the Campaign to Change Direction New Hampshire.\nKuster has long advocated for expanding access to mental health services. Last spring, Kuster hosted a bipartisan Mental Health Summit, a first-of-its-kind event that brought together medical providers, advocates, legislators, and local leaders to discuss initiatives to improve the mental health system in New Hampshire. This May, Congresswoman Kuster joined with state leaders to launch the first ever state chapter of Change Direction, a mental health education initiative which will spread awareness of the five signs of mental illness.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-applauds-passage-of-bill-to-strengthen-mental-health-resources"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8239347953349352, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}