Tom Waring, the Wire
Brian Fitzpatrick, the Republican nominee in the 8th Congressional District, released a statement last week regarding the House passage of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act [H.R. 2646] — legislation overhauling the nation’s mental health system.
The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act was authored by Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, the only clinical psychologist in Congress.
“There is little doubt that our nation’s mental health system is broken and, as a result, we are failing to address the serious challenges presented by mental illness despite spending over $130 billion annually on the issue. This failure is not only concerning to taxpayers, it is a tragedy for millions of American families living with the impact of mental health illnesses,” Fitzpatrick said.
“Congressman Murphy’s professional, solution-oriented and bipartisan bill is a step toward remedying these shortcomings through a clear-eyed look at what works and what does not and a commitment to reform and modernization. I applaud the House for taking up and passing this legislation in bipartisan fashion and encourage the Senate and president to follow suit. And, if elected to Congress, I vow to continue to advance the common cause of improving access to, and quality of, mental health care in Bucks and Montgomery counties.”
Fitzpatrick advocated for the House adoption of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act in an opinion piece regarding steps that should be taken in the wake of last month’s deadly shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, Fitzpatrick, a former Special Assistant United States Attorney, called for reforming the mental health system to address gun violence.
The legislation was also supported by Bucks County Commissioners Robert Loughery, Charles Martin and Diane Marseglia, who is the head of the county’s Suicide Prevention Task Force.
Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent who lives in Middletown Township, faces Democrat Steve Santarsiero, a state representative.
