DisabilityScoop.com reported last week that President Obama is committing $100 billion to improve American access to mental health services and mental health facilities.
Vice President Joe Biden, saying the Obama administration wants to help bridge gaps in mental health access, announced the funding. “The fact that less than half of children and adults with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need is unacceptable,” Biden said, according to DisabilityScoop.com.
According to the website, $50 million in funding will be made available through the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, which will go to community health centers to create or expand behavioral health services.
The money is expected to reach about 200 centers across the country, according to DisabilityScoop.com. The other $50 million will be used to construct, expand or improve facilities in rural areas.
One in four adults, or approximately 61.5 million Americans, experiences some form of mental illness during a calendar year, with about 13.6 million experiencing severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe depression, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
People suffering from mental illness may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if his or her mental RFC (residual functional capacity) shows that he or she is able to do limited functions in a work environment. Many people with mental illnesses are also eligible for a medical-vocational allowance depending on age, education level and job skills.
If you have questions about applying for disability benefits and you have a mental illness, contact a Tulsa Social Security disability attorney. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you may reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404. Contact us today.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability attorneys
Troutman Touts: Mood disorders are the third most common cause of hospitalization for adults ages 18 to 44.