Your mental health is personal, but you aren’t alone in managing it. The local and federal US governments can help the citizens who depend on them by addressing mental health challenges nationwide. Combining efforts from both positions of power will reach more people and generate additional resources for those in need.
Ways local governments can address mental health crises
People sometimes forget how much good their local government can do. If community representatives narrowed their focus to mental health struggles, they could effectively help those who need it most without the longer process of passing federal legislation.
Create student support at schools
Research shows 87% of young people experienced an adverse mental health symptom in 2023. Local and state governments can meet them where they spend the most time by creating more mental health resources at schools.
North Carolina demonstrated this possibility by passing Senate Bill 476 in 2020. It outlined what the state’s Department of Education must enforce at every public school, including mental health training programmes for teachers to spot students in crisis. Directing local funding to efforts like this would make schools better support systems for youth.
Educate leaders on psychosocial effects
Domestic terrorism increased 357% over the past 10 years, according to the US Government Accountability Office. Along with the rising number of natural disasters caused by climate change, people are dealing with more trauma than in previous generations. This causes psychosocial effects that worsen the public’s mental health.
State and local governments could train people who work in their communities to recognise how these traumatic events affect individuals. School health professionals, public health nurses and community support workers with more education in this area could become invaluable resources that help point individuals towards the support systems they need as national crises continue.
Become sources of information
You can’t get help if you don’t know where to find it. Recent data shows 3 in 10 American adults don’t know where to seek mental health services or who to call if they need support. They may not know how to navigate online support spaces or have community connections to understand which support systems exist in their region.
Local governments can increase awareness of mental health resources through marketing efforts. They might advertise their office through booths at local festivals, TV station commercials and newspaper ads. Letting people know when free clinics are happening and which numbers to call with questions would make it easier for everyone to get support in times of crisis.
Ways the federal government can address mental health issues
The federal government has more resources than state and local offices. It can address mental health challenges throughout the nation by taking broad steps.
Strengthen the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) prevents health insurers and group health plan providers from limiting mental health resource coverage but could get more federal backing to become an even stronger method of enforcement. President Biden called for additional MHPAEA reform in 2023, saying it should require insurers to cover a minimum of three visits with mental health experts for each customer. Americans might be able to receive more long-lasting support through their current insurance plans if MHPAEA became stronger.
Enforce better workplace conditions
Workplaces already have federally regulated safety standards overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If you experience a toxic workplace or witness illegal activity on the job, you should record everything you experience and take it to an OSHA representative.
They could double as a resource for employees working in environments without mental health support. If OSHA’s federal resources enforced penalties for workplaces lacking resources, more would exist without employees filing complaints first.
Learn from other countries
There’s always more to learn from how other countries manage their mental health resources. If the federal government partnered with representatives from different nations, American officials could learn on-the-ground details about what other people are trying. It would eliminate the trial-and-error process that would otherwise make mental health legislation take more time.
Governments working together support people more effectively
The local and federal US governments can always get better at supporting people struggling with mental health crises. If additional steps make regional and national resources more effective and easier to access, Americans can get the help they need more quickly.
Tim Williamson, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
