Mental health bill a no brainer

*Appeared in the Laurel Leader Call newspaper in Jones County

It’s finally March, and lawmakers are about halfway through the 2021 legislative session.  From budget to taxes, from teacher pay raises to healthcare, legislators are tasked with figuring out which of these bills to pass, which bills to kill, and which bills need further deliberation.   

But I want to take a few paragraphs to discuss a bill that hasn’t received much attention: Senate Bill 2420, which would allow a temporary license for mental health counselors and other social workers to practice in nonprofit facilities and family counseling centers.  Eliminating bureaucratic red tape is a no-brainer, particularly during COVID-19 – which is exactly what this bill will do.

According to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health services have been disrupted by COVID-19 in 93 percent of countries worldwide – despite the demand for these services increasing.  The pandemic has triggered feelings of “bereavement, isolation, loss of income, and fear” while the virus itself can lead to “neurological and mental complications, such as delirium, agitation, and stroke.” 

Kaiser Family Foundation data echo WHO data, showing that about four in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms, up from just one in 10 adults who reported such symptoms pre-COVID.  Many adults are reporting difficulty sleeping or eating, increases in alcohol consumption or substance abuse, and worsening chronic conditions due to worry and stress over the coronavirus.  These actions are directly linked to poor mental health outcomes. 

Sen. Brice Wiggins, a Republican from Jackson County, authored SB 2420 because he saw a need for Mississippi government to boost access to mental health services and get rid of bureaucratic red tape.  The bill would give mental health counselors from other states a temporary reciprocal license to provide counseling services in our state. 

“Bureaucracy is killing our state’s ability to compete nationally, not to mention get the needed services to our citizens.  We lack mental health and social work providers as it is and the pandemic has made it worse,” explained Sen. Wiggins. 

According to the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, one in five citizens experience mental illness in any given year.  As such, mental health counselors are in high demand, and getting appointments can be challenging for many people – especially lower income families and other vulnerable populations.  That’s why this bill focuses on issuing reciprocal licenses for providers in nonprofit facilities and family counseling centers, which tend to provide services to these populations. 

The legislation makes sense.  Not only does it pave the way for increased access to mental health care services, it also highlights a growing need for lawmakers to review licensing laws and eliminate unnecessary red tape.  

“I saw this bill as a way to both continue the march towards ending government inefficiency and get our citizens the services they need, all without raising taxes or spending any extra money,” said Sen. Wiggins. 

For anyone suffering from mental health challenges during the pandemic, there are resources available.  Pine Belt residents can check out our local community mental health center and its services at www.pbmhr.org.