In a historic town hall held at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, presidential candidates from both sides of the aisle gathered to address a range of critical behavioral health issues. The event, hosted by Mental Health for US, the National Council for Behavioral Health, and the New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association, was focused on addiction decriminalization, suicide prevention, and expanding access to behavioral health care services.
Despite their varied political backgrounds, the candidates united on several key points, emphasizing the need for a shift in how the nation approaches mental health and substance use disorders. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D), and former Governor Bill Weld (R) each shared their visions for reform, addressing an issue that has affected millions of Americans and remains a growing concern in both rural and urban communities.
Decriminalizing Mental Health and Addiction
A central theme of the town hall was the call to decriminalize mental health and addiction issues. Across the board, the candidates advocated for a shift in how society views these disorders, pointing to the deep-rooted stigma that continues to surround individuals suffering from mental illness or substance use disorders.
Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts and a long-time advocate for criminal justice reform, opened the conversation by emphasizing the need to disconnect behavioral health issues from the criminal justice system. “We have to divorce both substance disorders … and mental health from the criminal justice system and treat them as the national mental health emergency that they are,” Weld told the audience. “That idea has slowly but surely taken root.”
This sentiment was echoed by other candidates, who all stressed the importance of treating mental health and addiction with the same compassion and urgency as other public health crises. Tulsi Gabbard, a veteran herself, strongly emphasized this point. “We need to treat people suffering from mental health problems as patients, not criminals,” Gabbard said.
Deval Patrick, another speaker at the event, also highlighted the importance of reframing mental health issues as medical conditions rather than criminal behavior. “People who suffer with mental health problems should be treated like patients, not criminals,” Patrick remarked. This perspective is critical, as the criminal justice system often serves as a revolving door for individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders, exacerbating the problem rather than addressing it.
Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman, joined in with a similar view. “Until we get to a place in this country where we treat mental illness like other illnesses, mental illness is always going to get the short straw,” Walsh said. This commonality among the candidates, regardless of their political party, underscored the growing recognition that behavioral health should not be criminalized, but instead treated with care and medical attention.
Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Care
Beyond decriminalization, a critical focus of the town hall was the need to expand access to behavioral health services across the country. Both Gabbard and Walsh highlighted the inadequacies of current healthcare systems in addressing mental health needs, particularly in underserved areas.
Gabbard spoke to the need for a more comprehensive approach to health care, noting that expanding access to general healthcare would inherently improve access to behavioral health services. “By guaranteeing quality health care for everyone in this country, we’re able to provide that peace of mind for parents, for children,” Gabbard explained. She also made specific mention of the unique mental health challenges faced by children and veterans, both of whom often lack the resources and support needed to navigate these complex issues.
Walsh, who has made mental health a significant part of his platform, added that too many community agencies are working in silos and failing to collaborate to address the broader mental health crisis. He stressed the importance of improving coordination among mental health providers, social services, and community organizations to deliver more effective care to those in need.
Former Governor Bill Weld took a slightly different approach, praising the Federal Communications Commission’s recent move to shorten the national suicide hotline number to three digits. “It’s a good first step,” Weld said, noting that such measures help normalize mental health issues and make it easier for individuals to seek help in times of crisis. He also called for tighter regulations to prevent people at risk of suicide from gaining access to firearms, a proposal that many experts argue would be an essential preventive measure.
Deval Patrick focused heavily on the need to integrate mental health services into the broader healthcare system, emphasizing the importance of universal access to comprehensive healthcare. “Mental health issues and needs must be covered as a part of universal comprehensive health care,” Patrick said. “That in turn means we have to deal with the capacity issues, the shortage of people and facilities to meet the need.” Patrick’s comments reflect a central challenge facing the U.S. healthcare system today—the shortage of behavioral health professionals and treatment facilities that are unable to meet the rising demand for services.
Presidential Candidates and Behavioral Health: A Growing Focus
Although these candidates are often viewed as longshot contenders in the 2020 race, their discussions around mental health are part of a larger, growing trend among presidential hopefuls to address behavioral health on the campaign trail. As mental health issues continue to gain visibility in public discourse, more candidates are proposing plans to combat the behavioral health crisis in the U.S.
For example, Kamala Harris, who recently dropped out of the race, unveiled her own mental health reform plan, which included initiatives to increase opportunities for providers and raise reimbursement rates to attract more professionals into the field. Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, and John Delaney have also presented their own plans, each emphasizing the need for comprehensive approaches to addressing mental health and addiction, particularly in underserved communities.
The fact that even candidates who are not considered front-runners have made behavioral health a central issue in their campaigns is an indication of how widespread the need for reform is. Whether it’s expanding access to care, decriminalizing mental health issues, or improving coordination between healthcare providers, candidates across the political spectrum are making mental health a priority in their bids for the presidency.
Moving Forward: The Need for Bipartisan Action on Mental Health
The Unite for Mental Health Town Hall was an important step in advancing the conversation about mental health and addiction treatment at the highest levels of government. While the candidates at the event may not be the front-runners in the 2020 race, their ideas reflect a growing recognition that mental health and substance use disorders are public health crises that demand urgent and comprehensive action.
One of the most promising aspects of this discussion is the bipartisan nature of the proposals. Both Republicans and Democrats are calling for changes to how the U.S. handles behavioral health, with a focus on decriminalization, access to treatment, and reducing stigma. As mental health continues to rise in prominence on the political agenda, it is hoped that future policies will reflect the need for a more integrated, compassionate approach to behavioral health in America.
The Unite for Mental Health Town Hall underscored the importance of treating mental health with the seriousness it deserves. The shared vision for reform among these candidates offers a hopeful glimpse into the future of behavioral health policy, where progress may be made, not through political divides, but through collaboration and understanding. The road ahead will require continued advocacy, political will, and a commitment to addressing behavioral health issues as a top priority for the nation.
