Alignment For Progress: Ushering In A Transformative Era In Mental Health | |
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“If not us, who? If not now, when?”
~ President John F. Kennedy
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By Bridget Connolly, The Kennedy Forum
Sixty years ago, President John F. Kennedy ignited a beacon of hope in the field of mental health by signing the Community Mental Health Act into law. Fifteen years ago, The Kennedy Forum’s visionary founder, Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, blazed a trail with the groundbreaking Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Today, we stand at the precipice of history, poised to harness the collective energy and federal momentum to usher in a transformative era for mental health. Aligning together for progress is paramount in addressing the complex challenges we face in the realm of mental health and substance use. In October 2023, The Kennedy Forum launched a movement in mental health and addiction at the JFK Library. Through this movement we will achieve 90/90/90 by 2033: 90% of all individuals will be screened for mental health and substance use disorders, 90% of those screened will be able to receive evidence-based treatment, 90% of those receiving treatment will be able to manage their symptoms in recovery. We are proud to announce 73 commitments to the Movement have been made from organizations across industry and across the aisle.
Join the movement to transform our mental health and addiction systems by making an actionable organizational commitment, championing a policy recommendation from the National Strategy, and leveraging resources from The Kennedy Forum. Together, we will achieve 90/90/90.
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A National Strategy for Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders | |
Patrick Kennedy on Mental Health Systems | |
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Intro to Traumatic Stress: Trauma, Stress, and Trauma-Informed Practice for Community Health and Well-Being
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By Community Commons
Stress is a normal human feeling that activates the body and brain’s stress response system, or fight or flight response, which helps us navigate new situations and cope with potential dangers. It is characterized by an increased heart rate and mild elevation of stress hormones. Stress is considered tolerable when serious but temporary stress responses are buffered by supportive relationships and coping mechanisms.
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Must-Listen Conversations For You! | |
Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett: How to Understand Emotions | Huberman Lab Podcast | |
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Counseling And The Black Community
In this episode of Tru You, we discuss the effects of the pandemic then and now within the black community, generational hurts and healing, and the importance of taking care of your mental health.
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World Leading Psychologist: How To Detach From Overthinking & Anxiety: Dr Julie Smith | |
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JFK’s Nephew Has A Fix For Our Mental Health
By Kate Woodsome, The Washington Post
October 9, 2023
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The last law President John F. Kennedy signed was meant to enable people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities, like his sister Rosemary, to receive care outside of asylums. They would, Kennedy envisioned, “need no longer be alien to our affections or beyond the help of our communities.” That was in October 1963. In the decades since the Community Mental Health Act was passed, Kennedy’s vision has been distorted beyond recognition. | |
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Unboxing Mental Health
Our system for diagnosing mental disorders doesn’t work. The transdiagnostic model offers a humane, clinically sound alternative.
Aeon Magazine
| Despite the need for guidelines to support decisions about who ‘has a disorder and who needs treatment’, the categorical diagnostic system is no longer fit for purpose. There is a mismatch between research and public policy on the one hand, which are often based on the categorical system, and, on the other hand, what it’s actually like to live with mental health problems and work in day-to-day clinical practice. | |  |
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The US Has A Mental Health Crisis That Could Undermine Our Democracy, US Surgeons General Say
-CNN
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Suicide is one of the leading causes of premature death in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022 alone, nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in the US, an increase of about 2.6% from the year before. It is a problem that disproportionately impacts disadvantaged communities including racial and ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQ+, those who live in rural areas and older people.
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WIN MEASURES: VOICE 2 VOTE ! | |
Well-being in the Nation (WIN) Measures help us understand why things are not how they should be. These Measures are agreed upon by relevant stakeholders like you, community leaders, policymakers, and many others as the standard set of measures to track population health and the social determinants of health.
The domains under the WIN Measures, like lifelong learning, basic needs for health and safety, and humane housing, determine how well we can thrive. This is why measuring these important indicators is crucial and why lending your voice and vote is even more crucial.
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Act Now To Ensure Equitable Coverage Of Mental Health And Substance Use Disorder Treatment!
By Mental Health America (MHA)
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In July, the Biden Administration proposed new rules to advance parity — the basic idea that mental health condition and substance use disorder care are covered at the same level of care for physical health conditions. Now, the public has a chance to comment on the proposal. The number of comments matters, so we need your help.
Please help us tell the federal government how important it is to ensure equal treatment of mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) care by insurance plans by submitting a comment on proposed updates to the enforcement rules.
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Jeanann Verlee - The Mania Speaks | |
As part of the Alignment for Progress, The Kennedy Forum has developed a National Strategy for Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder. This first-of-its-kind policy guide is a compilation of federal policy recommendations that are needed to transform our mental health and substance use case system. It focuses on all major areas affecting Americans’ mental health, such as health coverage, the delivery system, youth mental health, community supports, the criminal legal system, and social determinants of health. There are currently more than 220 recommendations, and we hope it will grow after we share it with stakeholders such as yourselves. | |
The Alignment For Progress: A National Strategy for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders | A dynamic resource for federal policymakers that lays the groundwork for a community system of care and defines a shared path forward toward better mental health and substance use care for all. | |
A Need To Clarify How We Talk About Well-being vs. Mental Health vs. Mental Illness | This resource discusses some of the best practices companies can use when implementing policies and procedures to increase well-being and mental health. | |
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The Kennedy Forum & McKinsey Health Institute’s Systems Mapping Tool Survey
Filling out this short survey to share your name and contact information allows you access to the online, interactive tool.
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About Mental Health
There is a wave of misinformation regarding mental illness. In the interest of mental health equity, it is important to dispel these myths and get facts right.
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Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation: LGBTQ+ Community Grants (New Hampshire)
Type: Foundation
Due Date: Rolling
Match Required: No Cost Share
Overview: The purpose of this program is to help LGBTQ+ people fulfill their potential by funding nonprofit organizations that advance the interests and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy and with programs and services that meet the needs of LGBTQ+ people. Funding will be provided for life-affirming services that address one or more of the following focus areas:
- Health and wellness
- Crisis intervention
- Racial justice
- Advocacy and community engagement
- Social assistance and programming
Huntington National Bank: Charitable Grant Program (Wisconsin)
Type: Foundation
Due Date: Rolling
Match Required: No Cost Share
Overview: The purpose of this program is to contribute to the development of healthy, vibrant communities. Funding will support projects that improve self-sufficiency and quality of life, as well as advance social and economic equality, in communities served by the funding agency.
Support will be provided for projects in the following focus areas:
- Community revitalization and stabilization
- Community services
- Affordable housing
- Economic and community development
- Racial/social equity
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