Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With Committee Hearing, Senators Focus Attention On Mental Health
The Washington Post: Mental Health In The Spotlight Thursday On Capitol Hill
The federal government's top mental health researcher told lawmakers Thursday that the country needs to do much more to apply research to improve treatments, as a Senate committee heard testimony to address comprehensive mental health legislation. Speaking on his second-to-last day in his job as director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Thomas Insel said his 13-year tenure had convinced him of two “abiding truths.” (Sun, 10/29)
The Connecticut Mirror: Senate Tackles Mental Health Care Reform
A Senate panel took up the issue of mental health care Thursday, discussing legislation promoted by Sen. Chris Murphy to overhaul the system, an unusual move since Congress hasn’t tackled comprehensive reform in decades. While a number of senators from both sides of the aisle said they wanted changes to the federal government’s role in mental health care, there won’t be action for a while. (Radelat, 10/29)
