White House hosts summit on mental health issues

The AHA participated today in a White House summit on transforming mental health treatment to combat homelessness, violence and substance abuse. In his remarks at the meeting, President Trump emphasized the administration’s commitment to addressing serious mental illness. Other speakers included Doug Hoelscher, director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; Joe Grogan, director of the Domestic Policy Council; Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar; and Richard Stone, M.D., executive in charge for the Veterans Health Administration. Ellie McCance-Katz, assistant secretary for HHS’s Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, moderated a panel discussion with mental health advocates on “the need for reform.” Other panels discussed reform with state and community representatives from Ohio, Texas, Georgia and Idaho; and the federal perspective with Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Jim Carroll, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and others.