Advocates Win Big Victory as Senate Rejects Attempt to Gut Prevention and Public Health Fund

Mental health advocates won a big victory this week as the Senate defeated by a vote of 46-52 an amendment offered by Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) to a small business bill that would have gutted the new Prevention and Public Health Fund. With this defeat, Mental Health America hopes the Fund now has a chance to reach its goal of expanding and sustaining investment in prevention and public health programs. The Fund, which was created as part of the Affordable Care Act, marks an historic investment Congress in much-needed preventive services, community level prevention and public health. The Fund is urgently needed to address the many emerging health threats our country faces and the persistent chronic disease rates, including behavioral health conditions, which we must begin to control.