SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH BILL FALLS VICTIM TO GUN BILL DEFEAT

Capitol Connection Newsletter - ASCD Public Policy http://bit.ly/15NsYaH

smf/4AKids: The NRA and their bought-and-paid-for fellow travelers argued that “Guns don’t kill people, people with mental illness kill people”.  But now that they’ve defeated meaningful gun regulation they couldn’t care less about improving mental health services for children.

Apr 24, 2013   ::  The bipartisan amendment intended to improve mental health services for children, cosponsored by Senate Education Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and top committee Republican Lamar Alexander (TN), received overwhelming approval from the U.S. Senate but won't go anywhere because it was attached to a larger gun control measure, which the Senate will not take up due to various controversial issues.

The amendment, which easily cleared the education committee last week, focuses on awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions. It would have expanded the use of behavioral interventions and supports, promoted school-based mental health partnerships, clarified that Title I funds can be used for school emergency management plans, provided resources for suicide prevention, and more.

In response to the overall gun control measure's defeat, President Obama called it "a shameful day for Washington" and vowed to continue his efforts to combat gun violence. In the meantime, Harkin and Alexander could tack their amendment onto another piece of legislation that faces better odds in the Senate.