Ap Nsl Current Events

Erika Frahm

This week in current events, republican congressman Tim Murphy is hoping to pass a new legislation concerning the mental health system. Days before the anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy hook, Murphy is disappointed of the help that citizens with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. Murphy has a three decade background as a psychologist, and his bill is to clarify federal privacy rules between the mental health professional and the patient or parent. The bill will also ask for more psychiatric beds and patient services for anyone that is covered by Medicaid. It allows for anyone to receive these services between the ages of 22 and 64. This bill will be a Stand-alone bill.

This relates to class because this past unit has been about congress. This congressman is trying to pass legislation, also like the simulation we are doing in class, just different bills and one is a real situation. The clarification, the beds, and the other services are all provisions of the bill. It is also notes that this bill is a standalone bill, meaning it will not be a rider or a pork. A rider is a bill attached to another bill that will in theory "ride" with the original bill to be passed. It is not a pork because it is not specific to one state, this bill is to help all people, it is an original bill.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/12/mental-health-pushed-in-congress-before-newtown-anniversary/