Washington, Sept. 9 – Last week Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton released a plan for addressing mental health and illness in America. Unlike when she released a plan for Autism, this one did not receive a large amount of coverage.
The timing may be an issue. The Autism plan was released in January when all eyes were on the Iowa caucuses, while the mental health plan was released in August before Labor Day – a last chance of summer before the sprint to Election Day begins.
Another reason is stigma. People with Autism are more likely to be considered mainstream. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of every 68 children has some feature that places them on spectrum for autism disorders. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.–43.8 million, or 18.5 percent–experiences mental illness in a given year. However, people with mental illness often hide their disability from loved ones for fear of negative consequences.
Clinton’s plan aims to curb that – by “integrating our healthcare systems and finally putting the treatment of mental health on par with that of physical health.”
“Her goal is that within her time in office, Americans will no longer separate mental health from physical health when it comes to access to care or quality of treatment,” the plan reads. “The next generation must grow up knowing that mental health is a key component of overall health and there is no shame, stigma, or barriers to seeking out care.”