New, bipartisan legislation will improve mental health treatment in the U.S.
“We at Sheppard Pratt Health System thank mental health champions in Congress for coming together in a bipartisan effort to pass the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes numerous measures that will improve both the quality and delivery of mental health care across the nation,” said Sheppard Pratt President and CEO Harsh K. Trivedi, M.D., M.B.A.
“As a leading national provider of mental health, special education, and substance use services, we are encouraged to see such a significant step forward in mental health reform. This legislation will increase access to care for those with mental health and substance use issues. It includes provisions to address the opioid epidemic, and reforms to improve care coordination, strengthen mental health parity laws, and promote evidence-based treatments and therapies.”
“With more than 40 million adults and 17 million children living with some form of mental illness in this country, and a critical shortage of mental health professionals, we are very encouraged to see that this bill includes grants to increase the number of psychiatrists and psychologists.”
“The 21st Century Cures Act is a big step in the right direction for mental health care reform. We look forward to working with Congress and the administration to continue to build on the reforms outlined in this act and to continue providing life-saving care to those suffering from mental illness.”
About Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard Pratt is the largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, developmental disability, special education, and social services in the country. A nationwide resource, Sheppard Pratt provides services across a comprehensive continuum of care, spanning both hospital- and community-based resources. Since its founding in 1853, Sheppard Pratt has been innovating the field through research, best practice implementation, and a focus on improving the quality of mental health care on a global level. Sheppard Pratt has been consistently recognized as a top national psychiatric hospital by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years.