It's interesting too because there are serious divides in the U.S. (other countries too!) among the citizenry as to the desirability of such policies & funding by the federal government. Yet that doesn't mean people are not concerned about mental health issues. A national poll last year in the U.S. found that more than 70% viewed "mental health" and "physical health" as equally important, with the top four conditions of most concern being cancer, depression, anxiety, and heart disease. But what I found especially compelling was that nearly all respondents (96.8%) stated that mental health conditions represent legitimate medical illnesses and, like chronic physical disorders, can be effectively treated and managed (94.4%).

The debates, then, seem to be much more about the role of government in funding and/or providing such services -- and that's where we see far less consensus. Hence the APA statement to the Biden/Harris administration strikes me as a pre-emptive effort aimed at trying to establish a working relationship w/ the new administration and Congress in the hopes of developing a more comprehensive, federal policy response to mental health issues. I suspect that Congress will not be as enamored of such an integrated effort even in response to COVID-19 at the national level, preferring instead to deal with these issues more on a state-by-state basis. Just my guess, obviously, but I thought it'd be helpful to have a little more contextual info to consider. Best regards, -Joe

Dr. Joseph H. Michalski

Professor

King’s University College at Western University

266 Epworth Avenue, DL-201

London, Ontario, Canada N6A 2M3

Tel: (519) 433-3491

Email: [log in to unmask]

______________________

eⁱ^π + 1 = 0

From: tree of knowledge system discussion <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 9, 2020 11:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: TOK FW: [DIV24] APA Announcement Concerning Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

FYI, here is the APA’s press release on the heels of the election:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020

STATEMENT OF AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION IN REACTION TO BIDEN’S ELECTION AS PRESIDENT

WASHINGTON — Following is a statement by Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association, on the election of Joseph R. Biden Jr. as president and Kamala D. Harris as vice president:

“The American Psychological Association looks forward to welcoming former Vice President Joe Biden to the office of president of the United States and the beginning of a new, hopeful era with a leader who has committed to unite our country and implement policies that will stem the spread of COVID-19 and move us closer to having effective treatments and a safe vaccine. Psychological science will be crucial to aiding the president-elect and vice president-elect on a variety of issues in the COVID-19 fight, including helping to motivate individuals to adopt the science-based treatment and interventions that will be necessary for our success.

“America is a nation in trauma. We are experiencing record stress as a result of the pandemic, economic uncertainty and concerns about racial justice. We will look to the Biden administration to move quickly to address policies that have been harmful to the mental and physical health of the nation and to support increased funding for and wider dissemination and use of the important psychological research that can help our country rebuild and heal its workplaces, its schools, its communities and its people. We also ask that the Biden administration support continuing access to telehealth as our nation copes with these challenges.

“APA supports President-elect Biden in his goal to preserve and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and defend it against judicial challenges. We also look forward to the Biden administration’s respecting and using science to inform critical public policy decisions.

“The American Psychological Association stands ready to work with the new administration and the new Congress to implement laws and policies that will benefit society and improve people’s lives.”

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