Tom Harkin: “I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is…”

“I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be dispensed with. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. (The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of Amendments.'') Today, I offer this bipartisan amendment with my colleague Senator Alexander and several other members from the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to reauthorize and improve programs administered by both the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions, and the promotion of linkages to appropriate services for children and youth. The tragic shooting in Newtown, CT, in December brought the issue of mental health care to the forefront of public dialogue. Many people across the nation, including the President, have said that we need to take a long hard look at access to mental health services across the country. I was pleased to have the opportunity to start that dialogue with my colleagues on the HELP Committee in January when we held a hearing to examine the state of our Nation's mental health care system. A starting point of any conversation about mental health is recognizing that one of the most insidious stereotypes about people with mental illness is that they are inherently violent. It is deeply regrettable that some of the discussion in the wake of the Newtown tragedy has sadly reinforced this stereotype.…”