releases: https://walters.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/oc-register-op-ed-revolutionizing-mental-health-care
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://walters.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/oc-register-op-ed-revolutionizing-mental-health-care | OC Register Op-Ed: Revolutionizing Mental Health Care | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Republican | House | CA | Mimi Walters | W000820 | walters.house.gov | legacy | In September, the Children’s Hospital of Orange County broke ground on its Pediatric Mental Health Facility, which will house Orange County’s first inpatient program that can accommodate children under the age of 12. It will also allow CHOC to open intensive outpatient programs and expand mental health services for children with chronic illnesses. I was proud to be a part of the ground-breaking ceremony and see so many members of our community come together for this common goal. When CHOC broke ground on that facility, it broke down barriers and removed some of the unfair stigmas associated with mental health. Importantly, CHOC took major steps to ensure that children who suffer from mental illness receive the care they need. With this new facility, O.C.’s mental health care system will ensure our children have access to quality mental health care, yet sadly, a reliable mental health care system remains out of reach for too many of the estimated 10 million Americans who have a serious mental illness. For far too long, the way we have approached mental health care has not worked. An uncoordinated patchwork of government programs has let too many people slip through the cracks. We have failed families who have desperately sought out adequate mental health care for their loved ones and turned a blind eye to our neighbors in need. In O.C., an estimated one in five children are affected by a mental health condition, meaning more than 150,000 local children face mental health challenges. Currently, there are no psychiatric inpatient beds in O.C. for children under the age of 12, and O.C. has fewer psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed social workers than other cities and counties in California. Even more troubling, approximately two children, who have attempted suicide or experienced suicide ideation, per day go to CHOC’s Emergency Department. A 2015 Government Accountability Office report found that the 112 federal programs meant to address mental illness are not coordinating effectively. Even though the federal government spends $130 billion annually on mental health care, throwing more money at our broken system will not fix it. Currently, there is a nationwide shortage of approximately 100,000 psychiatric beds and only one child psychiatrist for every 2,000 children with a mental health disorder. Three of the largest mental health “hospitals” are not hospitals at all; they are criminal incarceration facilities. These major problems prevent those in need from accessing the quality mental health care they deserve. Recognizing the inadequate state of our nation’s mental health care system, Congress undertook a comprehensive review to better understand how to help those who are suffering. The result is an innovative set of reforms that allows patients to access effective care. Congress has passed legislation — the 21st Century Cures Act — to reform this country’s mental health care system by refocusing programs on effective therapies, reforming the administration of federal grants, and removing the many bureaucratic barriers to care. At its core, this bill will accelerate the discovery, development and delivery of new treatments and cures for diseases we now consider incurable. Additionally, it includes the critical resources needed to combat the rapidly growing nationwide opioid epidemic. There is no doubt we still have a long way to go to ensure that every American has access to quality mental health care, but the 21st Century Cures Act provides the first steps for the overhaul we need. CHOC’s Pediatric Mental Health Facility will revolutionize mental health care in our community, and I am hopeful its model will be emulated across the country. Americans in every community should have access to quality mental health care, and we cannot — and will not — stop until they do. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |