Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) held a virtual Mental Health Community Conversation last night.  The event featured Dr. Andy Keller, President and CEO, at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute; Angelina Hudson, Interim Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Health of Greater Houston; and Wayne Young, Chief Executive Officer at the Harris Center.  They discussed the importance of prioritizing our mental health, addressing stigma, and improving access to care. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic presented many new challenges, and it also highlighted existing gaps and needs in our health care system, including our mental health,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “The challenges we faced over the last year and a half have taken a major toll on the mental health of people across our community and our country.  It is important that we recognize that access to mental health resources is essential to our community—not just during this pandemic but all the time.  I am grateful for the work and the collaboration of tonight’s panelists to address mental health conditions, and I thank them for joining our Community Conversation to provide critical updates and answer questions.” 

Earlier this year, Congresswomen Lizzie Fletcher introduced the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner (COCM) Act, bipartisan legislation to help improve mental health care for people across our country.  This legislation invests in the Collaborative Care Model, a specific care delivery model that integrates behavioral health care within the primary care setting for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders that require regular follow-up, like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.  

The COCM Act has been endorsed by more than 35 organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Medical Association. To view the full COCM Act press release, click here.  

You can watch the full Community Conversation here.