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The administration asked for $86 million, and I know that the bill has funded children's mental health services at $86 million, but let me explain why I have come to suggest that we need to do more. We will look forward to working with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. PELOSI), who is ably a member of the Subcommittee on Labor,
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First all, we have the question of parity and stigma. So I want to raise the issue of what is happening to our children. I fully believe that Columbine and Jonesboro, the 6-year-old little boy that shot his 6-year-old classmate, the 13-year-old boy that shot his teacher, the little boy in Pontiac, Michigan, who shot someone at age 11, and the tragedy that has happened in my own 18th Congressional District where, just yesterday, on Sunday, a 14-year-old girl shot and killed a 16-year-old boy tends to, not only the issue of guns, but it deals with the holistic approach to children.
We need better mental health services for our children. My amendment was to add $10 million more to mental health services for children. It is because of articles like this on the front cover of Ebony, ``Out of the Closet, the Mental Health Crisis in Black America.'' It comes to the hearing that was held in my district with Senator PAUL WELLSTONE, ``Panel told of mental health ills,'' when over 30 witnesses talked about the crisis that they feel in their own families, with their own children, or setting the National Congress for Hispanic Mental Health , and the Hispanic community is crying out for more resources, or the Mental Health Awareness Campaign that shows that we need to do something about people in crisis.
Today more than 13.7 million children suffer from mental health problems. The National Mental Health Association reports that people who commit suicide have a mental or emotional disorder. The most common is depression.
Although one in five children in adolescence has a diagnosable mental , emotional, or behavioral problem that could lead to school failure, substance abuse, violence or suicide, 75 to 80 percent of these children do not receive any services in the form of specialty treatment or some form of mental health intervention.
That is why we must increase the funding for comprehensive children's mental health services to reach the 75 to 80 percent of children suffering from mental illness.
Both the National Mental Health Association and the Federation of Families for Children Mental Health Services support increased funding for children's mental health and agree that we need to focus this Nation's attention and intervention measures so that we can prevent tragedies like Columbine, Paducah, Littleton, and Jonesboro.
I, too, believe that there can be relief for those who need some form of tax relief. But I do believe that we are, if you will, harvesting dollars for big tax cuts, rather than looking at the basic quality-of-life needs of our children.
The grant programs funded under the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services programs are critical to ensure that children with mental health problems and their families have access to a full array of quality and appropriate care in their communities. They simply do not have it.
Some of the testimony that came was the frustration of parents that said I do not know where to go. I cannot leave out of my apartment or my rental house and go down the street to a community health clinic and get the kind of mental health services that I need. That stifles the opportunity to heal and to cure these children who need us to listen and need us to protect them and need us to heal them. To date, there have not been sufficient funds to award grants to communities in all of the States.
The story of Kip Kinkle, the 15-year-old student who shot his parents and went to school to kill several others, is tragic, yet illuminating. For 3 years before this horrendous event, Kip suffered from psychosis and he heard voices. Yet, no one did anything to address this situation. No teacher sent him to the nurse, and no one asked his parents to take him to a doctor to find out what was wrong.
When they did, what they talked about was that he was using profanity in class. He was, but he was responding to the voices in his head.
Kip Kinkle needed help. He needed help in his school. He needed help at home. This is not to blame the parents. It is to provide the kind of resources that are necessary.
I have worked diligently to bring attention to this most devastating problem.
As I indicated, I want to applaud the leadership of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. OBEY) for his forward-thinking leadership in years past. Mr. Chairman, I would simply say that, again, I am gaveled down on a important issue; but I am gratified to have the opportunity to make the case.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer this Amendment to increase the funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration by $10 million dollars by decreasing the funding for the Chronic and Environmental Disease Prevention under the CDC.
For technical reasons, I realize that this Amendment does not specifically earmark the funds for comprehensive children's mental health services, but that is the intent of the Amendment. Children's Mental Health needs to be a national priority in this country today.
Currently, we spend 10 times the amount on research into childhood cancer, than on children's mental health , yet one of five children is affected by some sort of mental illness.
Today, more than 13.7 million children suffer from mental health problems. The National Mental Health Association reports that most people who commit suicide have a mental or emotional disorder. The most common is depression.
Although one in five children and adolescents has a diagnosable mental , emotional, or behavioral problem that can lead to school failure, substance abuse, violence or suicide, 75 to 80 percent of these children do not receive any services in the form of specialty treatment or some form of mental health intervention.
This is why we must increase the funding for comprehensive children's mental health services to reach this 75 to 80 percent of children suffering from mental illness.
Both the National Mental Health Association and the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health Services support increased funding for children's mental health and agree that we need to focus this nation's attention on intervention measures so that we can prevent tragedies like Columbine, Paducah, Littleton and Jonesboro.
The grant programs funded under the comprehensive community mental health services program are critical to insure that children with mental health problems and their families have access to a full array of quality and appropriate care in their communities. To date, there have not been sufficient funds to award grants to communities in all the states.
The story of Kip Kinkle, the fifteen year-old student who shot his parents and went to school to kill several other students is tragic, yet illuminating.
For three years before this horrendous event, Kip suffered from psychosis and heard voices, yet no one did anything to address this situation. No teacher sent him to the nurse and no one asked his parents to take him to a doctor to find out what was wrong.
I have worked diligently to bring attention to this most devastating problem in our society by holding not one, but two hearings on children's mental health . The first was through the Congressional Children's Caucus and the second, in my district in Houston along with Senator PAUL WELLSTONE.
At the joint hearing in Houston we had over 30 witnesses to speak on the need to increased diagnostic services for children's mental health . Additionally, we discussed the link between suicide and mental health disorders.
According to the 1999 Report of the U.S. Surgeon General, for young people 15-24 years old, suicide is the third leading cause of death behind intentional injury and homicide.
Persons under the age of 25 accounted for 15 percent of all suicides in 1997. Between 1980 and 1997, suicide rates for those 15-19 years old increased 11 percent and for those between the ages of 10-14, the suicide rates increased 99 percent since 1980.
Within every 1 hour and 57 minutes, a person under the age of 25 completes suicide. The fact that 8 out of 10 suicidal persons give some sign of their intentions also begs the question, why do we not make children's mental health a national priority.
We know that more teenagers died from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, strokes, influenza and chronic lung disease combined.
Because childhood depression is so very prevalent, we must recognize the dire need for increased services to treat our youth. Almost 12 young people between between the ages of 15-24 die everyday by suicide.
Nationwide, 20.5 percent of high school students have stated on self-report surveys that they have seriously considered attempting suicide during the preceding 12 months. These are just some of the alarming statistics related to children's mental health .
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Last week's killing of a Florida teacher by a 13-year-old honor student is just a most recent attempt in a series of increasingly violent attacks perpetrated by adolescents in the past few years. Columbine, Littleton, and Paducah are just a few indicators that the possible lack of access to mental health services has resulted in an increase of children becoming involved in criminal activity and becoming involved in the juvenile justice or child protective systems.
Our children need to be listened to ..... they need to be heard. Children are complex human beings. Although they are young, they send us signals when they are troubled; the real tragedy occurs when adults do not listen to those signals or provide them with the help that they need. Effective mental health resources in our communities and schools can help in many instances prevent these acts of violence and suicide among our youth.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment that provides the additional funding necessary to address mental illness so that our children will not continue to suffer needlessly because of a lack of mental health resources.
Mr. Chairman, I include for the RECORD the Houston Chronicle article entitled ``Panel Told of Mental Health Ills,'' as follows:
Panel Told of Mental Health Ills
SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BY CHILDREN CITED
Alma Cobb trembled with nervous tension Thursday as she told a roomful of strangers the ways her 14-year-old son, David, has tried to commit suicide since his first attempt at age 5.
But her voice was surprisingly firm.
``He tried to hang himself, stab himself and electrocute himself,'' Cobb testified during a hearing Thursday on children's mental health needs called by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston.
A transcript of the hearing will go into the congressional record. Jackson Lee and Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., who also attended the hearing, hope to use the transcript in getting Congress to pass legislation improving children's mental health services.
Studies estimate that 13.7 million American school children suffer from mental health , emotional or behavioral problems. In the Houston area alone, more than 178,000 will need mental health care during their school years.
Suicide and entry into the juvenile criminal justice system are by-products, advocates say, of a society that shuns the issue and hasn't exerted the political will to address preventable problems.
Cobb's story and that of other such parents, services providers and mental health professionals was compelling, and sometimes moving.
But what Cobb has experienced is startling.
Her daughter, Clara, 14, also suffers from emotional and behavioral disorders. She first tried to kill herself at age 7. She and her brother have been absent from school because of their diagnosed mental illness and numerous hospitalizations related to suicide attempts.
Despite documentation of that fact, Cobb said later, the district where her children attend school considered her children truants, not sick, and fined her more than $3,000 and took her to court.
``Sometimes, my children can't attend school because of their mental illness and suicide attempts, but schools don't understand it,'' Cobb said, ``They just understand their regulations.''
Regina Hicks, deputy director of child and adolescent services for the Harris County Mental Health /Mental Retardation Authority, is familiar with the Cobb family's story. The children receive services through the agency.
Hicks said their struggle with the school district is unusual but, unfortunately, not unheard of in cases involving children.
Studies show that at least one in five children and teens in America has a mental illness that may lead to school failure, substance abuse, violence or suicide.
Most such schoolchildren don't receive adequate help because of the stigma attached to their condition, the lack of early intervention and scarce resources, mental health care professionals and service providers told the hearing.
Speaker after speaker voiced the need for increased funding.
``In Texas, we must be particularly concerned that the state budget for children's mental health services has remained virtually flat since 1993, despite growth in both population and need,'' said Betty Schwartz, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston.
``Current budget discussions offer little hope for improvement in the coming legislative session.''
Harris County Juvenile Court Associate Judge Veronica Morgan-Price said the piece of MHMRA's budgetary pie for juveniles is small.
She and others spoke of their frustration that the juvenile justice system has become a surrogate for mental health facilities.
Many said it's the norm in Harris County for mentally ill juveniles to get adequate help only after they commit an act that ends with them in a detention facility.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the bill through page 37, line 2 be considered as read, printed in the RECORD, and open to amendment at any point.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
The text of the bill from page 32, line l through page 37, line 12 is as follows:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY
For carrying out titles III and IX of the Public Health Service Act, and part A of title XI of the Social Security Act, $123,669,000; in addition, amounts received from Freedom of Information Act fees, reimbursable and interagency agreements, and the sale of data shall be credited to this appropriation and shall remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount made available pursuant to section 926(b) of the Public Health Service Act shall not exceed $99,980,000.
Health Care Financing Administration
GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAID
For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, titles XI and XIX of the Social Security Act, $93,586,251,000, to remain available until expended.
For making, after May 31, 2001, payments to States under title XIX of the Social Security Act for the last quarter of fiscal year 2001 for unanticipated costs, incurred for the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary.
For making payments to States or in the case of section 1928 on behalf of States under title XIX of the Social Security Act for the first quarter of fiscal year 2002, $36,207,551,000, to remain available until expended.
Payment under title XIX may be made for any quarter with respect to a State plan or plan amendment in effect during such quarter, if submitted in or prior to such quarter and approved in that or any subsequent quarter.
PAYMENTS TO HEALTH CARE TRUST FUNDS
For payment to the Federal Hospital Insurance and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, as provided under sections 217(g) and 1844 of the Social Security Act, sections 103(c) and 111(d) of the Social Security Amendments of 1965, section 278(d) of Public Law 97-248, and for administrative expenses incurred pursuant to section 201(g) of the Social Security Act, $70,381,600,000.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, titles XI, XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act, titles XIII and XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, not to exceed $1,866,302,000, to be transferred from the Federal Hospital Insurance and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds, as authorized by section 201(g) of the Social Security Act; together with all funds collected in accordance with section 353 of the Public Health Service Act and such sums as may be collected from authorized user fees and the sale of data, which shall remain available until expended, and together with administrative fees collected relative to Medicare overpayment recovery activities, which shall remain available until expended: Provided, That all funds derived in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 9701 from organizations established under title XIII of the Public Health Service Act shall be credited to and available for carrying out the purposes of this appropriation: Provided further, That $18,000,000 appropriated under this heading for the managed care system redesign shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That the Secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to collect fees in fiscal year 2001 from Medicare+Choice organizations pursuant to section 1857(e)(2) of the Social Security Act and from eligible organizations with risk-sharing contracts under section 1876 of that Act pursuant to section 1876(k)(4)(D) of that Act: Provided further, That, for the current fiscal year, not more that $630,000,000 may be made available under section 1817(k)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i(k)(4)) from the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund to carry out the Medicare Integrity Program under section 1893 of such Act.
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