Title: Mental health and gun violence. Conflating the two hurts those who need… | by Patrick Ross | Healthcare in America
Headings: Mental health and gun violence
Mental health and gun violence
Conflating the two hurts those who need help most

Content: However, this addresses issues broader than gun violence and does not address the omnipresence of firearms. It doesn’t ‘feel’ like gun control, and despite calls to improve mental health, is a low priority. As an example, the Trump administration has proposed eliminating $400 million in federal funding used to provide mental health assistance to students, as well as defunding the School Emergency Response to Violence program. Instead, in the panic after mass shootings, politicians opt for strict prohibitions for people with mental illness, which serves to further stigmatize mental illness. Instead of the common picture of mental illness leading to gun violence, they are two interdependent problems. If anything, widespread firearm deaths lead to a greater mental health burden in the rest of society. The real issue at hand is that our mental health system is not suited to the task of preventing gun violence, and should not be expected to. By strengthening mental and behavioral health resources, making care affordable and providers accessible, we can improve the country’s mental health care. To curb the epidemic of shooting deaths, we have to take steps to correct for a uniquely American problem: living in a country with nearly as many firearms as people.