Michelle Bowman: “We are facing a mental health crisis. Yesterday, I introduced the ACCESS in Mental Health Act to highlight an issue that…”

“We are facing a mental health crisis. Yesterday, I introduced the ACCESS in Mental Health Act to highlight an issue that is critical to our democracy and our collective mental health. Everyone deserves access to diverse mental health professionals. That is why I introduced this legislation, which will invest in HBCUs, TCUs, MSIs, and HSIs, to create and expand graduate programs in mental health fields and support students pursuing graduate degrees in mental health at these institutions. I am grateful to have the partnership of Maria Alfaro from Que Paso Latinx in Westchester County, New York; the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; and the American Psychological Association in moving this bill forward. As an educator in the Bronx, I saw how powerful it was for students to have mentors that looked like them. Everyone deserves to turn to someone that they can trust who reflects their identities. We need to diversify and expand our mental health workforce to meet the needs of every American, especially our most marginalized communities. ____________________”