Every four years, tens of millions of voters across the country exercise their democratic right to cast a ballot for president. This year, Americans again turned out to vote in the presidential election, along with a range of important federal, state, and local races.
While individuals who supported winning candidates are celebrating the outcomes, it is important to recognize that many of our friends, family members, and colleagues are experiencing a genuine sense of loss and disappointment.
For Mental Health America, our goals and our vital work continue. We will advocate with all elected officials to advance policies and legislation that expand access to critical services and promote mental health and well-being. And we will call on leaders across the political spectrum and at all levels of government to come together to address the most pressing public health crisis of our generation.
Indeed, with more than one-fifth of U.S. adults (60 million people) experiencing a mental health condition in the past year, our work is more critical than ever. This involves ensuring that everyone, from all walks of life, has access to health coverage and the mental health care they need when and where they need it. It means funding critical research and empowering communities to craft and implement their own mental health solutions. It means that we will continue to support substantial evidence and data which inform policy to ensure that everyone – with special focus on the most vulnerable communities – are met with effective and sustainable solutions. Lastly, It also means fostering open, nonjudgmental conversations and equipping everyone, especially our youth, with the necessary tools for resilience, well-being, and early intervention.
In this time of transition, we hope that the new administration, along with lawmakers across the country, both incumbent and newly elected, will maintain a focus on mental health and substance use conditions. These conditions affect all of us, regardless of party affiliation. We hope that leaders will seek to increase access to care and address the root causes of poor mental health. While we may not always agree on the approach, we all want a society that promotes mental health, and we want well-being for our loved ones and ourselves.
We believe that, by working together, we can make progress toward that goal - for everyone, for all of us.
It is normal to feel anxious and a variety of other emotions during this time and beyond. If these emotions feel like more than you can handle, know that you are not alone. Mental Health America and our partners have a wide range of resources to support you and others, including:
- If you’re struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HELLO to 741741.
- Access information on immediate support and crisis resources
- Take a free, confidential mental health screening test as part of our National Screening and Prevention Program
- Find a warmline staffed by a trained peer who can talk with you during hard times
- Learn more about finding mental health treatment for yourself or a loved one
Read this statement in Spanish.
###
About Mental Health America
Mental Health America is the nation’s leading community-driven nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being, resilience, recovery, and closing the mental health equity gap. Mental Health America’s work is driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of whole person health, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; and integrated care, services and supports for those who need them. Learn more at MHAnational.org.