How can politics be used as a tool to help people feel less alone in the world?
When COVID-19 broke out in 2020, I felt deeply alone and isolated from society due to social distancing. Peer support helped me cope with the events unfolding in the world and the support I received inspired my mental health advocacy journey – creating awareness initiatives to support others struggling with their mental health.
I am currently studying environmental science and policy at Columbia University and it is easy to see the overlap of the role of politics in promoting climate infrastructure. When I first started advocating for mental health resources, I assumed that politics and mental health were two disparate fields that rarely interacted. However, when I joined Mental Health America’s Youth Policy Accelerator cohort, I realized that politics can drive mental health and peer-to-peer support infrastructure. Politics plays a powerful role in transforming the mental health of communities.
Mental Health America recently hosted one Youth Town Hall for Policy Change discuss the importance of various mental health bills and the role of young people in supporting mental health policy. The town hall featured several mental health and policy speakers, including Parker Reynolds, Senator Bill Cassidy’s health policy advisor, who discussed the importance of youth engagement in policy advocacy. He encouraged young people to “take time to write to their office” because congressional offices are receptive to those letters. Reynolds said about 800 bills in the Senate focus on health care, and people can let senators know which bills they think should be prioritized.
The town hall also featured a youth leaders panel where young people from various backgrounds discussed the importance of peer support. Youth Policy Accelerator Fellow Dionne Regis discussed how peer support is especially important for “students of color and students of immigrant background,” where mental health is “often considered taboo and not talked about as much. the family unit”. Peer support can support these people to access mental health support if they cannot find this support at home.
Aimee Resnik, another member of the Youth Policy Accelerator, discussed its importance “Peer Technical Support Center” part of Ssubstance Use-disorder prevention that promotes recovery and opioid treatment (SUPPORT) for patients and communities Reauthorization Act of 2023, also known as the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act. He discussed how many suicide prevention hotlines are experiencing a high increase in calls and have not been able to handle them all, which is why he believes the expansion of peer-to-peer hotlines is important.
What is the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act?
The bipartisan SUPPORT Reauthorization Act was introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy in July 2023 because the original SUPPORT Act was set to expire in September 2023. This reauthorization act would ensure that key provisions of the original SUPPORT Act would remain intact while adding also modifiers critical to enhancing the original act, including peer-to-peer support elements.
Why is peer support an important resource?
Before we dive into the specifics of this bill, let’s first explore its relevance. According to data collected by Mental Health America, 44% of 14-18 year olds reported that access to youth peer support was one of their most important mental health resources for them. Because there can be challenges in accessing mental health care, such as the cost of services, along with the shortage of mental health professionals in the US, youth peer support is a vital resource. The Born This Way Foundation found that 36% of young people would go to a friend first when experiencing serious mental health concerns and that around 67% of young people believe peer support for young people is helpful. In addition, over 80% of young people believe that peer support can respond to the diversity of their communities, as the current mental health workforce does not reflect the diverse identities and experiences of young people seeking support. Although not a substitute for clinical mental health care, peer support has been shown to improve the lives of young people struggling with mental health.
What are the Youth Peer Support Core Elements of the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act?
Mental Health America’s group, including the Youth Policy Accelerator Group, identified four key elements in the SUPPORT Reauthorization Act that would advance peer-to-peer programs for youth across the country.
1. Create grants for high school peer-to-peer programs
Funding is essential to ensure that high schools can implement effective peer support programs. The SUPPORT Reauthorization Act would allow high schools to secure funding for mental health support programs, which would fund peer support initiatives.
2. Reauthorize a federated peer technical support center
The bill would reauthorize funding to strengthen the National Center for Peer Education and Technical Assistance for Addiction Recovery Support. to develop development and training opportunities for specialists who provide peer support to others; improving the accessibility and effectiveness of peer support initiatives; and building local support through the creation of a pilot regional center of excellence.
3. Collect vital data on peer services for Medicaid youth
Medicaid covers 1 in 2 youth, making it an important source of funding for youth peer services. Currently, we have limited data on the use of peer youth services in Medicaid. Access to this data would help us better understand what is happening, as well as advocate for expanded access to youth peer support for many young people who want it.
4. Code the Recovery Office at SAMHSA to promote the lived experience
Two years ago, the Recovery Office at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was founded to create partnerships that support families, communities and all people affected by mental health struggles and/or substance-related issues on the path to recovery, resilience and wellness . This bill would codify SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery, allowing for a viable organization that promotes access, regulation, and promotion of recovery support services.
Demand action for peer support for young people
The SUPPORT Reauthorization Act paves the way for meaningful peer-to-peer mental health infrastructure. These provisions should not be lost before the final bill is passed. Join our action alert to let members of Congress know that investing in peer support is critical to addressing the youth mental health crisis.
The recording for the town hall is here.
Saiarchana Darira is a member of the first cohort of America’s Mental Health Youth Policy Accelerator. He is currently studying at Columbia University and is a member of the United States Youth Advisory Council to the United Nations Decade of Oceans.
