Bipartisan push on mental health crisis that COVID worsened

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A major effort to overhaul care for people in the United States with mental health and drug problems is gaining traction in Washington. Congress and the Biden administration are working on overlapping plans to address concerns that cut across political dividing lines. Top goals include responding to the mental health crisis among youth, increasing the supply of trained counselors and clinicians, narrowing the gap between care for physical and mental health problems, and preserving access to telehealth services. In Congress, the Senate Finance Committee is working to produce bipartisan legislation this summer. President Joe Biden has released a comprehensive mental health and drug treatment plan.