Rep. Napolitano Promotes Mental Wellness in Azusa

(Azusa, CA) On Saturday, February 1, 2014, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32) called for action on mental health at the Azusa Cares Mental Wellness Workshop, part of a mayoral series of free high quality and culturally sensitive seminars hosted by the city of Azusa.

“Mental wellness is just as important as physical wellness,” Napolitano said. “We focus on reducing stigma, providing warning signs, and also ensuring that those suffering know it is always okay to ask for help. We are very grateful to the city of Azusa for giving this issue the attention it deserves.”

Over 40 people attended Saturday’s educational seminar on mental wellness. Napolitano was joined by local elected officials, community leaders, and mental health professionals committed to eliminating the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

Napolitano has been active in securing mental health parity in the Affordable Care Act, promoting mental health legislation, and working with prominent figures to increase funding and access to mental health services in Congress. Her 2001 pilot program providing mental health and suicide prevention services on-site in four schools in her congressional district has expanded to 26 schools with assistance from Los Angeles County Mental Health, which now serves as a pilot program for H.R. 628, the Mental Health in Schools Act of 2013. It currently has 80 cosponsors in the House and the support of mental health organizations from across the country. Senator Al Franken (D-MN.) has introduced the Senate version of the bill (S.195), which currently has 22 cosponsors. Napolitano’s mental health efforts also focus on issues of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) for veterans and their families.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Press 1 to connect with the Veterans Hotline.

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