Mental health watchdog, CCHR, says $280 billion in mental health funding hasn’t ended violent restraint use and patient deaths. And in schools, despite mental health screening and treatment, a culture of violence continues. Find out more here: https://www.cchrint.org/2023/02/10/mental-health-funding-delivered-system-in-shambles/
Citizens Commission on Human Rights International 6616 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90028, United States Website https://www.cchrint.org Phone +1-323-467-4242 Email media@cchr.org
Billions of Dollars in
Mental Health Funding
Has Delivered a System
in Shambles
The federal government spent around $280 billion in mental
health funding in 2020, about a quarter of which came from
the Medicaid program.
In 2013, mental health was already
the costliest healthcare sector in
the country, costing more than that
expended on heart conditions and
cancer.
The mental health industry watchdog, Citizens Commission on Human Rights
International, says despite this investment, America's mental health system is in
shambles. Conditions and outcomes have only worsened.
It is consistently reported that the U.S. is experiencing
a profound mental health crisis and those with
psychiatric disorders have shorter life expectancies
than the general population. However, studies show
people are more likely to die from psychiatric
hospitalization and treatment.
With 6.1 million American children ages 0-17 prescribed psychotropic drugs documented to
cause suicide and violent behavior, we see a culture of violence in schools. From 1992 to
2017, there were at least 37 active shooter incidents in schools and 15 such incidents at
post-secondary institutions.
Today, children are subjected to psychiatric-style
“restraints” in schools—pinned to the ground or bound
by mechanical devices such as straps or handcuffs.
Federal data reports restraints and seclusions happen
2,300 times per school day, on average, across the
nation to 102,000 students each year.
In the 2019–20 school year, 55% of public schools (or 45,600 schools) reported providing mental
health assessments to evaluate students and 42% (or 35,200 schools) reported providing treatment
to students for mental health disorders. 62% provided treatment both at school and outside.
When schools refer students to outside
“treatment,” over 96% of psychiatric
hospitals, and general hospitals with
separate psychiatric units administer
psychotropic drugs.
Although accounting for approximately 20% of the population, patients with “behavioral health”
conditions account for 48% of Medicaid spending. It is estimated that almost a third of low-
income Medicaid beneficiaries have been labeled with “depression,” representing twice the rate
of the nation.
That puts them at greater risk of being
prescribed psychotropic drugs that can
have debilitating side effects and universal
mental health screening in schools can be
a conduit to children being prescribed
these mind-altering drugs.
In 2019, Dr. Kate Allsopp from the University of Liverpool said: “Although
diagnostic labels create the illusion of an explanation they are scientifically
meaningless and can create stigma and prejudice.”
Professor Peter Kinderman, University of
Liverpool, said: “The diagnostic system
wrongly assumes that all distress results
from disorder, and relies heavily on
subjective judgments about what is
normal.”
Find Out More At https://www.cchrint.org
Mental Health Funding
Has Delivered a System
in Shambles
The federal government spent around $280 billion in mental
health funding in 2020, about a quarter of which came from
the Medicaid program.
In 2013, mental health was already
the costliest healthcare sector in
the country, costing more than that
expended on heart conditions and
cancer.
The mental health industry watchdog, Citizens Commission on Human Rights
International, says despite this investment, America's mental health system is in
shambles. Conditions and outcomes have only worsened.
It is consistently reported that the U.S. is experiencing
a profound mental health crisis and those with
psychiatric disorders have shorter life expectancies
than the general population. However, studies show
people are more likely to die from psychiatric
hospitalization and treatment.
With 6.1 million American children ages 0-17 prescribed psychotropic drugs documented to
cause suicide and violent behavior, we see a culture of violence in schools. From 1992 to
2017, there were at least 37 active shooter incidents in schools and 15 such incidents at
post-secondary institutions.
Today, children are subjected to psychiatric-style
“restraints” in schools—pinned to the ground or bound
by mechanical devices such as straps or handcuffs.
Federal data reports restraints and seclusions happen
2,300 times per school day, on average, across the
nation to 102,000 students each year.
In the 2019–20 school year, 55% of public schools (or 45,600 schools) reported providing mental
health assessments to evaluate students and 42% (or 35,200 schools) reported providing treatment
to students for mental health disorders. 62% provided treatment both at school and outside.
When schools refer students to outside
“treatment,” over 96% of psychiatric
hospitals, and general hospitals with
separate psychiatric units administer
psychotropic drugs.
Although accounting for approximately 20% of the population, patients with “behavioral health”
conditions account for 48% of Medicaid spending. It is estimated that almost a third of low-
income Medicaid beneficiaries have been labeled with “depression,” representing twice the rate
of the nation.
That puts them at greater risk of being
prescribed psychotropic drugs that can
have debilitating side effects and universal
mental health screening in schools can be
a conduit to children being prescribed
these mind-altering drugs.
In 2019, Dr. Kate Allsopp from the University of Liverpool said: “Although
diagnostic labels create the illusion of an explanation they are scientifically
meaningless and can create stigma and prejudice.”
Professor Peter Kinderman, University of
Liverpool, said: “The diagnostic system
wrongly assumes that all distress results
from disorder, and relies heavily on
subjective judgments about what is
normal.”
Find Out More At https://www.cchrint.org