One key area of focus is the shortage of mental health professionals.
The mental health and substance abuse problems exacerbated by the pandemic cut across all political, geographic and racial lines. As a result, the Biden administration and both parties in Congress are working together to overhaul care programs.
Four in 10 U.S. adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the first year of the pandemic. More than 100,000 people died of drug overdoses from May 2020 to April 2021, a record for lethality, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Responding to the mental health crisis among youth, increasing the supply of professional counselors and clinicians, narrowing a persistent gap between care for physical and mental health problems, and preserving access to telehealth services that were useful during the pandemic are among the top objectives.
Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which together oversee major government insurance programs, as well as private insurance and public health, are looking to develop policy ideas in five broad areas.
"I think everybody understands the challenge of threading the needle in a 50-50 Senate," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who is chair of the committee. "The most important takeaway for me is that the urgency is different … more people are falling between the cracks."
Although lawmakers acknowledge the need for government action, details remain contentious. Democrats, of course, favor greater government involvement, while Republicans are wary of driving up spending.
"This committee has a strong track record of generating consensus-based bills," Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, the top Republican on Senate Finance Committee, said earlier this year. "I truly believe we can replicate that success here."
The administration seems to be on the same page with the senators. "Artificial distinctions between physical health and mental health are really not sustainable or relevant in the 21st century," domestic policy advisor Susan Rice said.
One key area of focus is the shortage of mental health professionals. Investments in training and education would help build up the workforce over time but not address immediate needs. To address that, the government could allow a wider range of professionals, including family and marriage therapists, to participate in government programs.
The current momentum doesn't necessarily guarantee results in Congress. "I don't know how it's going to end up," said Reyna Taylor, policy and advocacy chief for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. "What I am happy to see is all the communication that is going on between the committees of jurisdiction."
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Alan Goforth
Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.
