National effort for mental health funding...the right thing for the wrong reason

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenneth-j-dudek/the-gift-horse-of-mental-_b_3194088.html

The Gift Horse of Mental Health Funding

The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act -- an amendment to the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act, a sweeping initiative that was being considered in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, CT -- received nearly unanimous support in the Senate the other week. Never look a gift horse in the mouth, so thanks to Congress for the proposed funding.

Nevertheless, the motivation for this wave of generosity is driven by the stigma associated with mental illness. The financial benefit the mental health community may receive is more than offset by its cost, i.e., reinforcing the connection between violence and mental illness in the public perception. Discussing mental health funding in the context of gun violence legislation erroneously transforms a public health issue into a public safety issue. Once again, people with serious mental illness get the blame.

As mental health advocates, we work tirelessly to turn the national spotlight on issues like effective treatment, improved access, and increased funding, but a real dilemma arises if we are forced to address mental health reform within the context of gun violence. When we use the risk of violence as a rationale for better and more available services for people with mental illness, we put at risk all the good works we have done over the years to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. When we conflate mental illness and violence we do ourselves and our community a disservice.

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