Obama signs the 21st Century Cures Act

How Will the Law Help People with Mental Illness?

Here is NAMI's summary:

The law includes key pieces of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2016 (H.R. 2646), the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016 (S. 2680), and the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015 (S. 2002). The Cures Act will improve integration and program coordination across federal agencies that serve people with mental illness and remove unfair barriers to mental health care. It will also address the needs of people with mental illness who become entangled in the criminal justice system.

The 21st Century Cures Act also:

• Combats suicide in our schools and communities so precious lives are saved.

• Increases the mental health workforce, so more trained professionals can help.

• Strengthens the enforcement of the mental health parity law, so health plans are held accountable for the coverage people paid for.

• Invests in early intervention, so people get the right mental health care at the right time.

• Invests resources to keep people with mental illness out of jails and in treatment.

- See more at: http://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/December-2016/Sign-Sealed-Delivered-Mental-Health-Reform-is-a?utm_source=naminow&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=naminow#sthash.YaDVBhHY.dpuf