On the recordSeptember 16, 2015
Over the last few years, I have met with thousands of families of those with mental illness. Their number one concern is how the current system shuts them out. Debbie and Chaz Mahoney lost their son Chuckie to suicide in 2002. Although Chuckie sought counseling from his college and showed signs of mental crisis, his parents knew nothing about his struggle. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as FERPA, kept Chuckie's parents in the dark. The Mahoneys aren't alone. Each day, millions of families experience the same tragic frustration. Schools will be sure to remind you when the tuition check arrives, but because of FERPA, when it comes to your child's mental health, you only receive a call when it is too, too late. This Suicide Prevention Month, Congress can fix this problem. The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act allows doctors to provide limited, but crucial, information concerning individuals with a serious mental illness to known caregivers. To save their lives and protect their rights to treatment, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2646. ____________________
