The opioid crisis is just one of many indications of a growing mental health crisis in the country. More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with mental illness at some point in their lifetime. In any given year, one in five Americans will experience mental illness. A range of bipartisan legislation is under consideration to expand and improve mental health resources in this country, including to address substance abuse. Various proposals would increase access and affordability and would invest in making treatments more effective. Some of the urgency to address the problem this year stems from the funding and regulatory provisions provided during the pandemic that are expiring. There is particular interest in expanding and improving mental health care for youth and for people who live in rural areas or have low incomes.Specific proposals under consideration include:

• Create Telehealth School Programs—Provide federal grants to help school districts fund programs that would provide mental health services in a private setting for students
• Increase the Number of Mental Health Professionals—Address the shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals by providing increased funding for training and other measures
• Increase Call Centers and Wraparound Support Services—Provide more federal grants for states to fund call centers and services like mobile crisis teams
• Ensure Mental Health is Covered by Insurance—Improve enforcement of mental health parity laws that require insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare, to cover mental health and substance abuse equitably with other health conditions
• Adopt Opioid Crisis Proposals—The relevant mental health proposals described under the opioid crisis issue also apply here, including increased investments in opioid abuse treatment and prevention as well as enhanced law enforcement to keep dealers from using social media to sell illicit drugs, particularly to minors