Like so many others, I have personally dealt with the effects that a mental illness can have on an individual, family or community, as my mother struggled with mental health difficulties when I was young. Sadly, too many people deal with mental illnesses in the shadows and we must continue to work to ensure they get the help they need. Chronic medical conditions and behavioral health issues often go hand in hand, and health outcomes are improved when both mental health and primary care services are offered within the same shared practice.
That is why I recently introduced the Behavioral Health Care Integration Act. This legislation will help Americans access comprehensive care by encouraging the integration of mental healthcare alongside physical healthcare. In order to really make a difference in people’s overall health and wellbeing, we need to recognize that the brain is part of the body and treat it as such.
Tragically, individuals with mental health or substance use disorders die at a young age at higher rates than the average American, often due to chronic medical illnesses that go untreated. Also, behavioral health conditions complicate the treatment of physical illnesses – for example, some folks can find it difficult because of a mental health condition to remember to take important medications they need to treat a physical issue.
Through the Behavioral Health Care Integration Act, we can finally work to improve the overall health and wellbeing of these patients by providing access to a team of providers who have experience in addressing all of their needs. As an added bonus, by integrating mental and physical health care, we can reduce health costs in the long-term and reduced hospitalizations.
I look forward to working to improve the wellbeing of all Iowans, and I encourage you to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Dave Loebsack
Iowa's Second District
