Women In Government's National Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Releases State Policy Toolkit for Policymakers

    WASHINGTON, DC, January 19, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Women In Government, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization representing female state legislators since 1988, has announced the release of their newest publication, "Building Greater Awareness and Making Meaningful Change Around Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders - A State Policymakers' Guide."

More than 40 million American adults - one in five people - have a mental health condition, and half of all Americans will have a mental health condition in their lifetime. But, for a number of reasons, a majority of those people will not receive treatment. Lack of access to health insurance or to a mental health professional - or even an effort to avoid the stigma attached to admission of a mental illness - often block the patient from needed care. Likewise, the number of people with a substance use disorder is high. More than 27 million people reported current use of illicit drugs or misuse of prescription drugs, according to a new Surgeon General's report.

Women In Government in 2016 seated the National Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders after hearing from members about the growing epidemic in their states. The group met over the course of the year to collaborate, develop state policy responses and fresh ideas, and create effective partnerships. The task force, which includes state legislators, mental health professionals and advocates, targeted several policy areas that affect mental health and substance use disorders. Those areas are:

- Providing access to coordinated, quality care;
- Training professionals on mental health and substance use disorder issues;
- Addressing housing instability for people with mental health and substance use disorders;
- Effectively collecting and utilizing data to better serve those with mental health and substance use disorder issues;
- Providing adequate care in all stages of recovery;
- Reforming sentencing guidelines and prison programming for those with mental health and substance use disorders; and
- Fostering awareness and a better understanding of mental health and substance use issues in educational settings and with the community at large.

Task Force co-chair Senator Jennifer Flanagan of Massachusetts said the need to too great for states to delay creating a coordinated action. "The communities we represent have been drastically affected and it is imperative that we work together to take action for both immediate and long-term to curb this crisis and turn the tide for our citizens," she said. States, she added, need to "remain vigilant and active in the fight against substance use disorders, and to work to enhance mental health services that are desperately needed by many families across the country."

Legislative members of the task force include:
Senator Jennifer Flanagan, Massachusetts, Co-chair
Representative Lois Landgraf, Colorado, Co-chair
Representative Patti Bellock, Illinois
Representative Jennifer Benson, Massachusetts
Representative Christie Carpino, Connecticut
Former Representative Theresa Conroy, Connecticut
Representative Janet Cruz, Florida
Representative Deborah Ferguson, Arkansas
Representative Carole Fiola, Massachusetts
Representative Stephanie Hawke, Maine
Representative Phyllis Henderson, South Carolina
Representative Michelle Henson, Georgia
Former Representative Marcia Hovey-Wright, Michigan
Representative Joni Jenkins, Kentucky
Representative Hannah Kane, Massachusetts
Representative Naomi Muscha, North Dakota
Representative Cindy Pugh, Minnesota
Representative Deborah Sanderson, Maine
Representative Melissa Sargent, Wisconsin
Representative Addia Wuchner, Kentucky

WIG provides leadership opportunities, expert forums, educational resources and collegial networking to address and resolve complex public policy issues to more than 1,800 women state legislators. Leading the nation with a bold, courageous and passionate vision, WIG empowers and mobilizes all women legislators to drive sound policy. Learn more at http://www.womeningovernment.org.

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