Hon. KENNETH ROBERTS, DES MOINES, Iowa, March 25, 1963. Chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, We fully support the measures spelled out in House bills 3688 and 3689 to strengthen the State mental health program. We believe that strengthening of community mental health facilities, personnel, and programs are vital to future mental health of Iowa. We further believe advances will more likely be made in mental health and retardation with Federal participation. W. I. CONWAY, Chairman Board of Control, State Institutions. Hon. KENNETH ROBERTS, BALTIMORE, MD., March 26, 1963. Chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, Maryland Department of Hygiene strongly endorses H.R. 3688 and H.R. 3689 to promote health and alleviate mental retardation. The participation of the Federal Government in matching funds with State will create a satisfactory system of program and facilities long needed by the State of Maryland. Intensification and broadening of current program for the mentally ill and mentally retarded is vitally necessary. These bills will make this possible. ISADORE TUERK, M.D. Commissioner, Department of Mental Hygiene. BISMARCK, N. DAK., March 26, 1963. Hon. KENNETH ROBERTS, Chairman, House Subcommittee, Public Health and Safety, I have studied carefully the President's recent message on mental illness and mental retardation, the principles of which are embodied in H.R. 3688 and 3689. In general, I feel these proposals are very progressive and will undoubtedly have many lasting beneficial effects upon treatment programs for the mentally ill and mentally retarded of our country. These proposals appear to be a composite of the joint committee report on mental illness and health, recommendations of the recent American Medical Association Congress on Mental Health, and reflect the thinking of other major authorities in psychiatry and related health fields. In North Dakota, because of limited tax revenues, Federal funds are needed to supplement our programs for treatment and rehabilitation of these unfortunate victims. These Federal programs, if initiated, will be of immense value to our State and help achieve treatment goals which heretofore have been beyond our reach. A. F. SAMUELSON, M.D., Director, North Dakota Mental Health Authority. BALTIMORE, MD., March 28, 1963. Hon. KENNETH A. ROBERTS, On behalf of our Maryland Association for Mental Health and its affiliated 17 chapters representing over 30,000 members, I urge you favorably recommend H.R. 3688 for Federal support for community mental health centers. Our State mental hospitals have admitted record-breaking numbers of patients this past year, as have mental hospitals throughout America. Community mental health centers would help treat the mentally ill before they require hospitalization and would keep them working productively in industry paying taxes and supporting families. This legislation vitally needed. JEROME ROBINSON, President, Maryland Association for Mental Health. SOUTH CAROLINA MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION, The Honorable KENNETH ROBERTS, Chairman, House Subcommittee, Public Health and Safety, DEAR MR. ROBERTS: South Carolina has submitted to the U.S. Public Health Service a plan for planning a master mental health program for South Carolina. We anticipate approval of this plan and activation of it within the near future. We further anticipate that out of this 2-year study will come recommendations for immediate, short-range, and long-range plans for comprehensive mental health services. It appears very necessary that the Federal Government join hands with the States and communities in financing these programs, and we wish to urge favorable action on H.R. 3688 and 3689. Our Governor, the honorable Donald S. Russell, is very interested in this matter and has agreed to cooperate with us in our plan for planning a master mental health plan for our State. Sincerely yours, Hon. KENNETH ROBERTS, W. P. BECKMAN, M.D., State Director, Mental Health. ARIZONA STATE HOSPITAL, Phoenix, Ariz., March 25, 1963. Chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, DEAR SIR: I wish to recommend passage of H.R. 3688 and H.R. 3689 which will provide the means to assist the States in improving the mental health programs so that better treatment is provided for the mentally ill and the mentally retarded. It is necessary to expand all community mental health centers so that the psychiatric services will be available in the communities where the patients reside. In this way immediate treatment will be available and prevention can be developed to reduce the present increasing admissions to our State hospitals. Sincerely, SAMUEL WICK, M.D., Director. Hon. KENNETH ROBERTS, STATE OF COLORADO, DEPARTMENT OF INSTITUTIONS, Denver, April 12, 1963. Chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, DEAR MR. ROBERTS: We in Colorado believe in community based hospitals for the mentally ill as well as community centers for the retarded. We are at present engaged in statewide programs to assist in the development and maintenance of such facilities. We, therefore, support in principle House bills 3688 and 3689, and trust that the individual States through community efforts may be able to assume more of the obligation of financial support as outlined by these bills. By putting the emphasis at the community level, and maintaining it there; we should be able, in a reasonable time, to fulfill the needs the field of the mentally ill and retarded. Sincerely, DAVID A. HAMILL. SPRINGFIELD, ILL. Congressman KENNETH A. ROBERTS, Chairman, Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. ROBERTS: I would like to express myself as being in favor of H.R. 3688 and H.R. 3689, which are designed to help carry out the President's recent recommendations. Here in Illinois we have already begun a similar program of community mental health centers. Such a program is designed to serve our citizens with the most advanced facilities and therapy in the country. We in Illinois feel that this program on a national basis will be a gigantic step forward in the care of our mentally incapacitated. As we all know, one of the major problems is to secure adequate personnel. The provisions of title II would provide assistance toward staffing these mental health centers. Lack of scientific knowledge in the area of mental retardation is one which has only recently been brought to the fore. If we are going to make the necessary progress in this area we must first have a broad research program to point the direction in which progress can be made. H.R. 3688 would provide great help to the States in undertaking this research. Crowding in mental health facilities for the retarded is a most shameful, degrading situation. Title II of H.R. 3689 would aid the States in constructing facilities for the most overlooked group of U.S. citizens. For these reasons we in Ilinois strongly urge strong support for these vital measures. FRANCIS J. GERTY, M.D. GOVERNMENT OF GUAM, Mr. HARRY C. SCHNIBBE, Executive Director, National Association of Mental Health Program Directors, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. SCHNIBBE: This is to advise that the following message was sent on April 17, 1963, by the Governor of Guam to the Office of Territories, Department of the Interior, expressing Government of Guam's support of Senate bills 755 and 756: "Unclassified. If appropriate would appreciate your office transmitting Government of Guam support of Senate bills 755 and 756 which provide Federal support for mental illness and mental retardation programs. Guam has need for strong material support of these programs particularly now as we rebuild and replace our typhoon-devastated organizations. If approved this message should be sent to Hon. Kenneth Roberts, chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, room 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. Guam's position was asked earlier in letter from National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors." Sincerely yours, JOHN J. HAYES, Director of Medical Services. Hon. LISTER HILL, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. THE ALABAMA STATE HOSPITALS DEAR SENATOR HILL: As superintendent of the Alabama State Hospitals and the Partlow State School, I am listed as the mental hospital authority in Alabama. As such, I am very much interested in the President's program to combat retardation and mental illness, and the need for more community psychiatry is extremely necessary if we in Alabama are able to give better service to communities and prevent commitments to our State institutions. I know Dr. Dan Blain who for a number of years was the executive secretary of the American Psychiatric Association, is presently the director of the Department of Mental Hygiene in the State of California and in his capacity as president of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors appeared before the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, March 6, 1963. I have carefully read his address and wholeheartedly agree with his recommendations. I also agree with the recommendatinos of V. Terrell Davis, M.D., director of the Division of Mental Health and Hospitals of the State of New Jersey, given to the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare on March 6, 1963. We in Alabama are well aware of your interest in the needs of this State and your accomplishments in the field of medicine throughout all of the States. As a member of the Senate Subcommittee on Public Health and Welfare, will you please give your good judgment to Senate bills 755 and 756. Sincerely, J. S. TARWATER, M.D., Superintendent. Hon. KENNETH A. ROBERTS, OREGON STATE BOARD OF CONTROL, Chairman, Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, Salem, March 28, 1963. DEAR MR. ROBERTS: Would like to let you know that we in Oregon feel very strongly the need of the measures outlined in H.R. 3688 and H.R. 3689 and that they have our complete support. Sincerely, J. H. TRELEAVEN, M.D., Administrator. APRIL 11, 1963. Hon. KENNETH A. ROBERTS, Chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, DEAR SIR: House bills H.R. 3688 and H.R. 3689 have my endorsement inasmuch as I, superintendent of Wyoming's only State hospital, recognize the need of such programs throughout the States. Some 4 years ago I launched a program for intensive treatment, inservice training, and research here at the hospital, and, although our results have been most gratifying, we do not have adequate community based psychiatric facilities. Community services for mental illness are of great value to the citizens of Wyoming as has already been demonstrated by a few mental health clinics that have been functioning during this past year. Establishment of these community centers has encouraged local handling of psychiatric problems, and has prevented hospitalization in this remote part of our State. However, in order to more effectively establish a training and research program, more moneys are needed for the recruitment and training of additional personnel so that a greater number of people might have a better knowledge and understanding of mental illness and mental retardation. Very truly yours, WILLIAM N. KARN, Jr., M.D., Superintendent. MARCH 27, 1963. Hon. KENNETH ROBERTS, Chairman, House Subcommittee on Public Health and Safety, As director State mental health program I urge passage of H.R. 3688 and 3689. Continuing improvements in public mental health endeavors vitally needed. DAVID J. VAIL, M.D., Department Public Welfare, State of Minnesota. Congressman KENNETH ROBERTS, Public Health and Safety Committee, Urge your careful consideration and support of House bills 3688 and 3689. They provide desperately needed help in the area where it can be used most effectively. WILLIAM R. CONTE, M.D., Supervisor, Mental Health Department of Institutions, State of Washington. ERIE COUNTY COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH OFFICE, Mr. C. D. WARD, DEAR MR. WARD: I am writing as a member of the Mental Health Subcommittee of NACO with the thought that my comments may be of some small assistance to those of you who are testifying at the mental health hearings in Congress. I am sorry that I could not respond to your inquiry earlier, but it has taken me some time to develop a sufficiently clear picture of the implications of the new Federal program. The concept of a comprehensive community mental health center is, I believe, a good one. Certainly, additional community services for the mentally ill and retarded are needed and the further development can undoubtedly be stimulated by the Federal program. It would seem also that the Federal program would provide significant assistance in terms of construction costs and staffing for at least the first 4 years. Ultimately, however, this will place a greater pressure on the tax structure of county and State government. I don't believe, however, that the county should be alarmed about this for the following reason: there is a tremendous shortage of the kinds of trained professionals in psychiatry, psychology, and psychiatric social work who could staff such programs. The Federal proposals will make this shortage even more apparent. There are very few places in this country that have a surplus of these scarce professionals and who can thereby move ahead rapidly to make use of these funds. Awareness of this problem undoubtedly has resulted in that aspect of the Federal definition of a comprehensive community mental health center, which calls for staffing in part with physicians other than psychiatrists. Although this is a reasonable direction to pursue in trying to solve the problem of staff shortage, it is not an easy one since increased involvement and interest in mental illness and mental retardation on the part of the nonpsychiatrist physician cannot be attained rapidly and, undoubtedly, special training programs also will be necessary. I believe that the county governments, as they relate themselves to future possibilities for Federal funds to establish such centers, will have to pay particular attention to the question of how they are going to solve the problem of availability of necessary professionals and assurance of continuity of professional staff before they proceed with commitments for construction and service financing. It will also be important for county governments, especially as they work together in State associations, to pay close attention to the extent to which health insurance in their area is also covering mental and nervous conditions. Health insurance for these conditions has increased considerably in this country in recent years and has been increasingly demonstrated as feasible from an actuarial standpoint. I mention this because it can offer a very important avenue for the financing of some of the service costs related to comprehensive community mental health centers, and I believe that counties should give careful consideration to recommending in their States legislation which would encourage such coverage on the part of all health insurers in the State. Finally, let me say that I feel that local governments must more and more become involved with the development of services for the mentally ill and mentally retarded. I feel enthusiastic about the new Federal program proposals and see in them an important assistance to local government as it seeks to meet this enormous problem. Over the years, it has become increasingly evident that the best mental health services are those developed at the local level with community planning, community involvement, and community direction to insure highest standards of quality and appropriateness of service to local needs. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS: The Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped is vitally interested in H.R. 3688 and H.R. 3689. Our organization has among its stated objectives the following: (a) To promote and maintain high standards of dental care and treatment of physically and mentally handicapped persons. (b) To promote research in all branches of dental care and treatment of physically and mentally handicapped persons. (c) To advance the sciences of dentistry for the handicapped in private practice and in private and public institutions. In accord with these principles we favor the use of Federal funds for the alleviation of medical and dental defects suffered by the mentally retarded. |