Paul Ryan pushes mental health bill after San Bernardino shooting

[IDemo]

Source: CBS News

Before his first major address in his new leadership role on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke with "CBS This Morning" about the Congressional response to mass shootings after Wednesday's deadly rampage in San Bernardino, California.

"What we have seen -- and a common theme among many of these mass shootings -- is a theme of mental illness," Ryan said early Thursday. "And we need to fix our mental illness laws, our policies. They're outdated. And that is something that we are working on right now."

The House speaker touted legislation introduced by Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pennsylvania, that would revamp the country's mental health systems. Among other steps, the measure would create an assistant secretary position in the Department of Health and Human Services to address mental illness and fix a shortage of beds in psychiatric hospitals.

"A lot of these people are getting guns who are mentally unstable, who should not be getting guns. And this is a gap in our laws that we feel needs to be filled," Ryan said.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/paul-ryan-pushes-mental-health-bill-after-san-bernardino-shooting/

[Doubledee]

1. Ryan is an odd duck

While his proposed budget is a classic example of inflicting hardships upon the least of us, those with no voice and little power, he can, on occasion, make sense.

[IDemo]

8. He can make sense? Not in this case

Mental Illness is the wrong scapegoat after mass shootings

An extensive new study by two Vanderbilt University researchers challenges common assumptions about gun violence and mental illness that often emerge in the aftermath of mass shootings.

When a mass shooting occurs, there seems to be a familiar narrative that untreated mental illness is the primary cause for the terrifying act. But a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health by Dr. Jonathan Metzl and Kenneth T. MacLeish finds that an isolated focus on mental illness is misguided.

“Gun discourse after mass shootings often perpetuates the fear that ‘some crazy person is going to come shoot me,’” said Metzl, the study’s lead author. “But if you look at the research, it’s not the ‘crazy’ person you have to fear.”

In the article, “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings and the Politics of American Firearms,” Metzl and MacLeish analyze data and literature linking guns and mental illness over the past 40 years. They found that despite societal pre-conceived notions, most mentally ill people are not violent.

http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2014/12/mental-illness-wrong-scapegoat-shootings/

[Plucketeer]

2. HOLY SHIT!

And I'm here to propose that Speaker Ryan be FIRST IN LINE to partake of the care this would offer!

[RoccoR5955]

3. What a steaming heap of bovine fecal matter this is!

Only an ass would do this!

[lark]

4. Distraction from the real issue.

Were many of these killers in treatment at the time of the killing or ever in the mental health system - NO! This is just a bullshit move to say "oh, Repugs do care", when in actuality it's a total lie. 100% background checks, registering guns, no cop killing bullets, no multiple gun purchases within a year, no open carry - these are laws that would reduce gun and accessory purchases, so of course they won't happen.

[Cosmocat]

14. YEP

nm

[Kelvin Mace]

5. Even if it passes, it will be

under-funded or defunded immediately.

[Cosmocat]

15. And, some how, some way

someone is going to make money off it ...

[LuvNewcastle]

6. But government doesn't work!

Shouldn't he suggest that we give the money to churches and let them fix the mental health problem? Maybe we could give government funds to preachers who cast out demons. I mean, isn't this really a spiritual problem? Or maybe we could give money to Big Pharma. Maybe there isn't enough incentive for businesses who want to cash in on mental illness. Doesn't the invisible hand of the market solve all of our problems? If only we could make mental illness profitable for corporate bottom lines, surely the private sector could end all of our woes!

[Chalco]

7. Psychopaths don't qualify as mentally ill

So, even if the mentally ill are helped and/or sanctioned from buying guys, the psychopaths, who love to kill, will still have access.

[Ed Suspicious]

9. He is appearing to do something, anything but going after gun culture.

[MosheFeingold]

10. What mental illness caused the shooting?

Sudden Jihad Syndrome?

[Botany]

11. "and a common theme among many of these mass shootings"

Fucking Guns ..... end of story

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

12. The "mental health" argument doesn't work as well when there are three shooters

It's easy to say that a lone shooter is mentally ill and suggest he should maybe (but not absolutely) be prevented from owning guns.

It's a less persuasive argument when there are more than one shooter or bomber.

"Mentally ill" works just as well for people who start unjust wars, cancel food stamp programs, vote 50+ times to eliminate the ACA, vote to cut back on VA benefits, seek to privatize Social Security, want to disband the EPA, OSHA and Department of Education, think the Constitution is the Word of God or worship at the altar of the Second Amendment.

[Cosmocat]

16. it doesn't matter

its the meme republicans, and by extension the media, will push ...

And, now that there is a muslim in name at the very least involved in a high profile incident, it will be all about that ...

Real issues, real source of 99% of it won't be addressed.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. This has nothing to do with mental illness unless

the DSM classifies gunners as a mental disorder, which is highly unlikely. It is about abject corruption in our political system.

[SwankyXomb]

24. If we're going to add that to the DSM-V

we should make sure to add Republicanism and religionism as well.

[Warren Stupidity]

31. I would be fine with that, although we would really

have to enact Sander's Medicare expansion bill to treat all these people.

[turbinetree]

17. You know what this right wing hypocrite..........................

should introduce legislation to place a "TAX on BULLETS".
Just like what Chris Rock said, a $5,000 tax on each and every bullet, and then this right wing hypocrite would have some credibility, why is it that Ryan and his crew and other politicians do everything after the fact, because they are spineless.

Then this right wing hypocrite should put forth legislation to eliminate the loop holes in the gun buying in this country, and to have through a process on back ground checks, that takes up to 90 days, that is the theme Ryan --------------------end of story

[oldandhappy]

18. Congress has a mental health problem.

Refuses to talk about any real problems...gun culture, immigration reform, Syria --

[LuvNewcastle]

19. And a corruption problem

[valerief]

20. What an asshole. A stupid fuckin' asshole. nt

[Myrina]

21. Which of his Koch cronies stands to benefit?

Follow the money ....

[harun]

25. Not Koch

[Javaman]

22. I trust nothing he says. with him the devil is always in the details. nt

[patsimp]

23. stupid ryan and stupid ryan followers - this was not about mental health

[BeyondGeography]

26. Holy shit...how about starting by repealing the Dickey Amendment, asshole?

http://www.mintpressnews.com/211780-2/211780/

Mass shootings, gang violence, domestic abuse, suicide, accidents — gun violence in the United States comes in many forms. And often. In the past week, the country has seen already two mass shootings. Every day, 89 people die because of gun-related violence. Experts estimate guns may soon surpass vehicle accidents to the country’s leading cause of deaths. President Barack Obama has repeatedly urged lawmakers to not make this the “new normal.”

But when it comes to finding solutions to this national problem, there’s a major roadblock standing in the way. It’s been decades since any federally-funded scientific research has been done on the issue.

That’s why members of Congress joined physicians from across the country Wednesday morning to demand an end to the Dickey Amendment, a 20-year-old law banning any scientific research on gun violence.

“Gun violence is among the most difficult public health challenges we face as a country, but because of the deeply misguided ban on research, we know very little about it,” said Rep. David Price, vice chair to the House of Representatives’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. “Regardless of where we stand in the debate over gun violence, we should all be able to agree that this debate should be informed by objective data and robust scientific research.”

On public health matters, it’s critical we listen to doctors—not politicians

This ban, supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA), has effectively silenced researchers at both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) for conducting any comprehensive studies on what causes violence — and what can be done to prevent it — since 1996. As expected, it’s left public health experts and policymakers with little to lean on as they attempt to craft new legislation to help quell the fatal trend...

[Bucky]

27. Our long national nightmare of failing to shift blame to the mentally ill is almost over.

All praise guns!

[tclambert]

28. Does that mean he's FOR background checks for every gun purchase?

Surely the NRA won't like that.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

29. I assume the repubs tacked a rider on Ryan's bill to repeal the ACA?

[Marrah_G]

30. I think that addresses only part of the problem

But making more beds available and more treatment available is definitely a good thing.

[d_legendary1]

32. It ain't crazy people with guns who are a threat to society

Its crazy people with access to guns that is the real problem.

[happyslug]

33. Rep Tim Murphy has been pushing this for years

Murphy is a Psychologist (and a Republican). He has treated people with mental health problems in the past. Ryan appears to be jumping on this to cover his ass given this shooting. The law proposed will increase funding for mental health treatment and upgrade the status of such treatment on the Federal level. It is opposed by many in the mental health field, but supported by others.

Please note this bill is a bill on general mental health, it was not written in regards to guns or crime.

PDF summary of the Act:

http://murphy.house.gov/uploads/MHOnePager2.18.15.pdf

Here is a chapter by chapter SUMMARY of the Act:

http://murphy.house.gov/uploads/Section%20By%20Section%20Detailed%20Summary%20of%20HR3717.pdf

Some of the COMMENTS made in the above summary:

Police officers are too often serving as mental health social workers and first responders of incidents involving a violent psychotic episode. Many of these events are entirely preventable.

Paramedics and EMS workers have little formal training on how to help individuals experiencing a psychotic break.

The Department of Justice does not track the mental health of individuals involved in crimes.

Prisons have seemingly replaced mental hospitals for caring for the mentally ill. While there is no precise number on the number of mentally ill in prisons, estimates vary between 20 and 50 percent of all inmates.

Care in the prison system is more expensive than treating the mental illness.

Assisted outpatient treatment, which is currently listed in the Department of Justice’s registry of evidence-based practices, has been proven to reduce hospitalization, homelessness, violence, and save money. It ensures those with serious mental illness get the care they need and don’t end up in the revolving door of psychiatric wards and prisons.

Fifty years ago there were over 500,000 inpatient psychiatric beds in the United States and today there are fewer than 40,000.

There is a need for long term treatment facilities for individuals suffering from the most debilitating form of serious mental illness.

States have had success with integrating physical and mental health in the same location, even thought CMS regulations make that difficult.

There is a shortage of psychiatrists, particularly child and adolescent psychiatrists in rural
areas

Expanding the application of electronic medical records to the mental health community will produce better outcomes for persons with mental illness and reduce overall healthcare spending by integrating care.

Untreated mental illness is a significant cost driver for persons with physical ailments.

Untreated depression doubles health care costs by complicating symptoms and treatment adherence for back pain, headache and heart disease. The Archives of Internal Medicine found that diabetics with untreated severe depression had 86% higher healthcare costs.

A January 2013 study by Johns Hopkins University found that hospitals readmission rates for the mentally ill fell by 39% when other mental health professionals like psychologists were given electronic access to inpatient psychiatric records.

Here is the actual Bill:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/3717/text

To be fair, here is some opposition papers to passing the act:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/04/13/the-many-problems-with-the-helping-families-in-mental-health-crisis-act/

http://mentalillnesspolicy.org/hr3717/billcomparison.html

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mental-health-advocates-oppose-rep-tim-murphys-bill-for-promoting-forced-treatment-over-more-effective-and-less-expensive-voluntary-care-300096784.html

http://www.mentalhealthexcellence.org/murphy-bill-threat-justice-everywhere/

Tim Murphy on Mental Health:

First, let's dispel the myths.

Myth Number One: "Suicide is not that common."
This year, 9 million adults will have serious thoughts of suicide; 2.7 million will make suicide plans; 1.3 million will attempt suicide; and nearly 40,000 will die by suicide. One suicide occurs every 13 minutes, one veteran commits suicide every hour, and more will die by suicide this year than in car accidents.

Myth Number Two: "Those who die by suicide should have just pulled it together and carried on."
The vast majority of individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Mental illness is a contributing factor in 90 percent of suicides and the risk of suicide increases more than 50 percent in individuals experiencing depression. Mental illnesses can fundamentally change the pathways of the brain, making it difficult for those of us without this disease to comprehend what compels an individual to take his or her own life. Furthermore, some who die by suicide believe their disappearance eases the burden on their family.

Myth Number Three: "Suicide is well planned and a thoughtful act."
What many people still don't understand is the often impulsive nature of those experience suicidal thoughts. A common misconception is those who take their own lives spend a long time planning when in fact, 25 percent who attempt suicide do so within five minutes of their initial decision, and more than 70 percent do so within the first hour.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-tim-murphy/suicide-is-a-national-epi_b_5828922.htm

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