MHIP Issue 10: Mental health parity, Trump indicted, and more
A newsletter at the intersection of mental health and politics.
It’s officially August, and we’re back! I took an extended break from the newsletter in July to get some much needed sunshine, travel, and friend time. I became fully invested in Wimbledon (and specifically my girl Ons Jabeur) after watching the Break Point docuseries on Netflix. I went to Beyonce’s Renaissance tour and it was everything you would want it to be and more. I was delightfully entertained by the Barbie movie. And I even stayed up past my bedtime to watch the USWNT play in the World Cup group stage (knock out round, here we come!). More importantly, a lot has happened in the world since we last caught up, so I’m going to dive right in to the news.
The good. President Biden announced his administration will be taking steps to improve insurance coverage for mental health treatment, building on the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. If you have ever tried to find a therapist for yourself or someone you know, you know that the process of finding a therapist can be very difficult (to say the least). Honestly, it can feel like finding a needle in a haystack – identifying someone who has the relevant expertise, who takes your insurance (or that you can afford out of pocket), has availability, and is a good fit for you personally is no small feat. Not surprisingly, most Americans don’t have access to mental health care. The Biden administration is taking welcome steps to begin to address these access issues. (Insert reminder that healthcare for all – including mental health care – is where we really need to go in order to improve overall health and wellbeing!)
The FDA approved the first over the counter oral contraceptive. Research finds restricting reproductive rights is associated with poor mental health outcomes, so this is a big win for both improving access to reproductive care and mental health.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a conversion therapy ban, making Michigan the 22nd state in the US to do so. And in the midst of growing anti-trans legislation and targeting, a judge in Arizona temporarily blocked the state’s efforts to ban trans girls from participating in sports. A reminder that conversion therapy is completely unethical and extremely harmful, and access to affirming spaces, like extracurricular activities at school, promote positive mental health outcomes. Why is it so hard to let LGBTQ+ kids be kids?
And last but certainly not least, Trump was finally indicted for charges related to the January 6 insurrection and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. (What does this have to do with mental health? Well, it’s a boost to my own mental health knowing he may actually be held accountable for once.)
The not so good. The Houston Independent School District, the largest school district in Texas, is reportedly considering converting libraries into spaces for discipline and other activities. I’ve noted before that libraries are an important avenue for people to access mental health information and resources. In schools, libraries often serve as a safe space for students, and libraries serve to promote creativity, critical thinking, and cognitive development. Children deserve access to these types of safe spaces at school.
This summer has put into focus the escalating climate crisis. From New England to Phoenix to seemingly everywhere in between, climate change is here and frankly it’s terrifying. Climate change is impacting all aspects of daily life – ranging from limiting the time we can spend outdoors to increasing stress and anxiety to causing life-threatening and potentially traumatic life events. We’re still learning the impact of climate change on mental health, but as you can imagine, it’s not looking good.
The this is bad, y’all. Vanderbilt University Medical Center released the medical records of patients seen in their gender clinic as a part of a state investigation into their medical billing – and reportedly told patients about it after the information had already been shared. Patients are suing VUMC as a result. Needless to say, this has sparked a lot of warranted concern and conversation about how institutions are – or are not – protecting vulnerable patients amidst the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation nationwide. Relatedly, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, along with 18 other AGs across the U.S., reportedly want access to medical records of patients who seek out of state medical care, like abortions and gender affirming care. You can read their full letter to the US Department of Health here. This type of medical surveillance is extremely concerning, and we should all be paying attention as this continues to develop.
RFK Jr. continues his anti-vaccine crusade. There have been plenty of articles written about him in recent months (you could start here, here, or here). And he most recently made the news for reports of his unfounded, alarmingly anti-semitic comments about COVID-19. His anti-vaccine stance, which he claims is science-based despite clear evidence that it is decidedly not, is a dangerous one. Vaccines save lives, and vaccines do not cause mental health or neurodevelopmental problems. If you want a deep dive into his history of conspiracy theories, misinformation, and anti-vax nonsense, I highly recommend listening to Maintenance Phase’s 2-part breakdown.
Governor Ron Desantis continues his reign of terror in Florida. This time, he’s adopting new educational standards for the state of Florida that teach students there were upsides to slavery. Yes, you read that correctly. To be very clear: it is outrageous and extraordinarily harmful to imply that slavery benefited Black people in any way whatsoever. This follows his support of a ban on AP African American History courses being offered in the state. Now is a good time to revisit readings like The 1619 Project, Between the World and Me, anything by Toni Morrison, to name a few. I also recommend this recent article in Teen Vogue highlighting the need for mental health supports in the wake of increasing anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the U.S.
Take Action:
First up, a few Tennessee and Nashville specific action items:
Nashville’s election for mayor, metro council, and metro council at-large is this Thursday, August 3. If you didn’t early vote, make sure you find time in your schedule tomorrow to show up to the polls. (In case you’re still deciding how to cast your vote: I voted for Freddie O’Connell for mayor, Sean Parker for District 5 metro council, and Delishia Porterfield, Zulfat Suara, Arnold Hayes, Chris Crofton, and Olivia Hill for council at-large).
Do you live in Tennessee? Are you outraged by the state’s lack of response on gun safety after the Covenant school shooting? Consider signing this open letter calling for our leaders to take real action to prevent gun violence during the upcoming special session scheduled for August 21.
Speaking of elections — do you know when the next election is for your city or state? You can check based on your address here, and while you’re at it, make sure your voter registration is up to date.
Abortion rights are on the ballot in Ohio this fall. Support the pro-choice groups in Ohio who are fighting for reproductive freedom.
The new school year is upon us, and teachers are chronically underpaid and overworked. If you want to show your appreciation for their hard work, you can find teacher wishlists in your area and support them directly.
That’s all for this issue of Mental Health is Political. Thanks for reading, sharing, and subscribing. See you next week!
Thanks for this round-up! And also the Renaissance tour was EVERYTHING. I went last weekend and I'm still not over it!