Two House Democratic Leaders, the Honorable Richard A. Gephardt, US House Democratic Leader and Patrick Kennedy, Chair of the DCCC attended a reception hosted by NCMHPC President-elect Deborah C. Peel, MD on July 6th, 2000.  At a very special Texas evening in July, mental health professionals, consumers, physicians, and friends helped raise over $120,000 in contributions for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which is dedicated to electing Democrats to the US House of Representatives.  

Thanks so much to all of our members and friends who attended or contributed to this precedent-setting event. No other physician or mental health organizations or mental health consumer groups have worked as we have to support the Democratic leadership!  We are alone among health care advocates in contributing to help elect the members of Congress who have fiercely defended privacy and the rights of our patients.  The success of that night puts NCMHPC in a unique position with key Congressional leaders (and the next Speaker of the House!) as we discuss and collaborate to address the urgent needs of people with mental illnesses and the dire necessity to create a new system of high quality mental health care and replace the destructive managed care system.   

Dick Gephardt spoke about our country’s need to care for children in this era when parents have 1/3 less time to spend with them.  He talked movingly of the need to provide early childcare, preschool care, summer care, smaller class sizes, and parenting training.  He said clearly that support for families and children helps to prevent mental illness and suffering.  

Patrick Kennedy was the big surprise.  He spoke ONLY about mental illness.  It was an amazing public tribute. He said every person in this country should have access to excellent mental health care.  He spoke of the deaths and suffering that have resulted from the destruction of our mental health care system under managed care and the profit motive. (We hope to be able to print his entire speech in our next newsletter.)  Hearing such stirring words from Patrick Kennedy and Dick Gephardt was both praise for our hard work and an acknowledgment of the success NCMHPC has already had in getting our stories and issues to key political leaders.

We can change Washington.  We can be at the table.  We can contribute to public policy debates about our future mental health care system.  We can collaborate with our nation's leaders to design a system of high quality mental health and medical care, with privacy as the foundation.  We can do this only with your help.  Your time, your dedication, your efforts, your contributions, and your work with NCMHPC is truly reaching those who can replace the destructive system of managed care.  Thanks to each of you for being part of these vital efforts!