Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Politicians Talk Link Between Mental Health, Gun Violence. But What Are The Facts?
The New York Times: Checking Facts And Falsehoods About Gun Violence And Mental Illness After Parkland Shooting
A heavily armed young man is accused of killing 17 people after opening fire on terrified students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday. It was the third mass shooting in the past four months in the United States. Nikolas Cruz, who has been linked to a history of mental illness, is believed to have used a legally obtained AR-15 in the shooting. The attack has led to widespread conversations about links between gun violence and mental illness, and how lawmakers and interest groups are debating potential policy responses. (Qiu and Bank, 2/16)
The Hill: Dems Say GOP Focus On Mental Health Is Redirection From Gun Control
The Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead has reopened a debate about whether a focus on mental health is the answer to gun violence. Both President Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) pointed to mental health reforms as a solution following the shooting. “We are committed to working with state and local leaders to help secure our schools, and tackle the difficult issue of mental health,” Trump said in his first public comments about the latest mass shooting in the United States. (Sullivan, 2/17)
The Associated Press: Trump Focus On Mental Health After School Shooting Denounced
Frustration is mounting in the medical community as the Trump administration again points to mental illness in response to yet another mass shooting. "The concept that mental illness is a precursor to violent behavior is nonsense," said Dr. Louis Kraus, forensic psychiatry chief at Chicago's Rush University Medical College. "The vast majority of gun violence is not attributable to mental illness." (Tanner, 2/19)
The Hill: Florida Shooting Reopens CDC Gun Research Debate
A mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead has reopened a debate in Congress about loosening long-standing restrictions on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) research into gun violence. Democrats have frequently railed against the restrictions, which were enacted in 1996 after fierce lobbying by outside groups like the National Rifle Association. But Republicans have been able to beat back Democratic attempts to restore the flow of federal research dollars to gun violence research. (Weixel, 2/19)
Meanwhile —
The New York Times: Florida Agency Investigated Nikolas Cruz After Violent Social Media Posts
A Florida social services agency conducted an in-home investigation of Nikolas Cruz after he exhibited troubling behavior nearly a year and a half before he shot and killed 17 people at his former high school in Florida, a state report shows. The agency, the Florida Department of Children and Families, had been alerted to posts on Snapchat of Mr. Cruz cutting his arms and expressing interest in buying a gun, according to the report. But after visiting and questioning Mr. Cruz at his home, the department determined he was at low risk of harming himself or others. (Burch, Robles and Mazzei, 2/17)
The Wall Street Journal: Florida’s Child Social-Services Agency Investigated Accused School Shooter In 2016
A Florida child-welfare agency opened an investigation in 2016 examining the care of accused school shooter Nikolas Cruz after he posted a disturbing social-media video, according to state records. The investigation found that Mr. Cruz, who was clinically depressed, was upset following a breakup with a girl and began cutting himself, according to a report by the Florida Department of Children and Families obtained by The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Cruz also spoke about wanting to buy a gun for unknown reasons, the report said. (De Avila, 2/18)
