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Positive Aging Act Reintroduced for 2005 by Same
Four Legislators
May 31, 2005 – Last Wednesday, Senators Hillary
Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and Representatives
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) announced the
introduction of the Positive Aging Act of 2005 to improve access to
mental health services for America’s senior citizens.
The American Psychological Association was among
the first to endorse the bill. The National Council on Aging had
supported the first bill by these same legislaators that died in the last
session of Congress.
"The collaborative care model at the heart of this
legislation will go a long way toward meeting the mental health needs of
our nation's growing population of older adults," explained APA’s CEO
Norman B. Anderson, Ph.D. "By reaching out to primary care and community
programs, mental health providers will be able to overcome potential
stigma and offer critically needed services in everyday settings."
The bill introduction of the 2005 version was timed
to occur during Mental Health and Aging Week of National Mental Health
Month. The Positive Aging Act of 2005 is designed to provide mental
health care services in communities where seniors live, while taking
steps toward integrating them with other essential health care services.
“All too often, seniors are unable to access
adequate mental health care in their communities, even when they have
access to other health care services in places like local community
centers,” according to a news release by Sen. Collins.
“In New York, there are two and a half million
citizens aged 65 or older, and that population is only expected to grow.
We must make sure that our nation’s seniors have access to needed
services by fully integrating mental health screening and treatment with
other health services,” Senator Clinton said.
“The mental health needs of older Americans are
often overlooked or not recognized. This is particularly disturbing
considering that one in five Americans aged 65 and older – including
more than 32,000 Mainers – suffer from mental illness. This bill will
help to promote the mental health and well-being of our older citizens.
It is an investment that will return tremendous dividends in terms of
improved quality of life, better patient outcomes, and more efficient
use of health care dollars,” Senator Collins added.
“We can effectively treat many of the mental disorders common in older
Americans, but to do this mental health screening must be a key
component of primary care services for seniors,” said Congressman
Kennedy. “Missed opportunities to diagnose and treat mental diseases
continues to take a huge toll on the elderly, increasing the burden on
their families and our health care system. Not only do we owe our
seniors dignity and good health, but providing quality mental health
care to older Americans that is also easily accessible, is just simply
good policy,” added Congressman Kennedy.
"The significance of this legislation cannot be
underestimated. I realize the profound impact that access to quality
mental healthcare has on our seniors. I believe that such a bill is not
only beneficial, but it is also necessary for ensuring that our seniors
have access to the mental healthcare they need in order to live a
productive life,” said Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen.
Specifically, the legislation will provide grant
funding through the Administration on Aging, which can be used for
mental health screening and treatment services for older Americans.
Areas that are underserved and include significant numbers of older
adults will be given priority. In addition, the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration will be authorized to fund
projects to provide collaborative mental health services in community
settings where older adults reside and receive services. Senators
Clinton and Collins and Representatives Kennedy and Ros-Lehtinen first
introduced the Positive Aging Act last Congress. More than 30
organizations have endorsed this legislation including the American
Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, American Psychological
Association, National Association of Social Workers, and the Older
Women’s League, among others.
In the 108th Congress, these same four members of
Congress introduced “The Positive Aging Act of 2004” (S. 2572/H.R.
4694). An earlier version of the legislation had been introduced by
Representatives Kennedy and Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) and by Senator John
Breaux (D-LA).
American Association of People with Disabilities
released this summary of the bill.
The Positive Aging Act of 2005 is designed to make
mental health services for older adults an integral part of primary care
services in community settings and to extend them to other settings
where seniors reside and receive services. The evidence-based services
under this legislation will be provided by interdisciplinary teams of
mental health professionals working in collaboration with other
providers of health and social services.
Title I
Title I of the legislation would authorize creation
of an Office of Older Adult Mental Health Services in the Administration
on Aging (AoA) to develop and implement initiatives to address the
mental health needs of older individuals. AoA would also be authorized,
under the Older Americans Act, to provide:
Grants to states for the development and testing of
model mental health delivery systems utilizing evidence-based protocols
for the identification and treatment of mental illness in the elderly;
Demonstration project grants for the provision of
screening and treatment referrals for mental illness targeted to seniors
residing in rural areas; and
Demonstration project grants to entities working in
collaboration with other providers of health or social services for the
provision of mental health screening and treatment services to seniors
residing in naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) in urban
areas.
Title II
Title II amends the Public Health Service Act to
create demonstration projects to be administered by the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that would:
Support the integration of evidence-based mental
health services by geriatric mental health specialists in primary care
settings; and
Support the establishment of community-based mental
health treatment outreach teams in settings where older adults reside or
receive social services.
Title II would also:
Create a new position of Deputy Director for Older
Adult Mental Health Services in the Center for Mental Health Services at
SAMHSA;
Require appointment of representatives of older
Americans, their families, and geriatric mental health specialists to
the Advisory Council for the Center for Mental Health Services;
Include targeting substance abuse in older adults
in SAMHSA’s projects of national significance; and,
Require state plans under Community Mental Health
Services Block Grants to include descriptions of the states’ outreach to
and services for older individuals.
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