On October 7, 2015, a national action day was observed, National Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Day. It arose based on a bill in the House of Representatives of the 114th Congress called The Helping Families in
Mental Health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles Stress (biology), stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-maki ...
Crisis Act of 2015, HR2646. The bill was originally introduced as The Helping Families of Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013, HR3717. HR2646 contains a number of provisions that will serve to reform mental health care for those Americans with serious mental illness (
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social w ...
,
schizoaffective disorder
Schizoaffective disorder (SZA, SZD or SAD) is a mental disorder characterized by abnormal thought processes and an unstable mood. This diagnosis is made when the person has symptoms of both schizophrenia (usually psychosis) and a mood disorder: ...
,
bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevat ...
,
major depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introdu ...
). The national day of observance, which was noted in National Review and has been endorsed by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
/ref> will occur in early October each year to raise awareness and encourage action on mental health care policy.
References
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Mental health in the United States