DOYLESTOWN, PA – Brian Fitzpatrick released the following statement Wednesday regarding the House passage of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act [H.R. 2646] – bipartisan legislation overhauling the nation’s mental health system:
“There is little doubt that our nation’s mental health system is broken and, as a result, we are failing to address the serious challenges presented by mental illness despite spending over $130 billion annually on the issue. This failure is not only concerning to taxpayers; it is a tragedy for millions of American families living with the impact of mental health illnesses.
Congressman Murphy’s professional, solution-oriented and bipartisan bill is step toward remedying these shortcoming through a clear-eyed look at what works and what does not and a commitment to reform and modernization.
I applaud the House for taking up and passing this legislation in bipartisan fashion and encourage the Senate and president to follow suit. And, if elected to Congress, I vow to continue to advance the common cause of improving access to, and quality of mental health care in Bucks and Montgomery counties.”
Fitzpatrick advocated for the House adoption of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act in an opinion piece regarding common sense, bipartisan steps that should be taken in the wake of last month’s deadly shooting at a night club in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, Fitzpatrick the importance of reforming our mental health system as a powerful tool in addressing gun violence based on his experience as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.
In 2014, Bucks Co. Commissioners Robert Loughery, Charles Martin, and Diane Marseglia – head of the county’s Suicide Prevention Task Force – signed a letter of support of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.
The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act was authored by Pennsylvania’s own Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), the only clinical psychologist in Congress.
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Brian Fitzpatrick is a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney running for Congress in Pennsylvania’s Eight Congressional District. He is a Levittown native and lives in Middletown Twp. Learn more at www.brianfitzpatrick.com