I have seen some bizarre endorsements in my day, but Ron Artest for improving mental health in public schools? That deserves a "C'mon man!". H.R. 2531 called the Mental Health and Schools Act of 2009 never made it past subcommittee after it's initial proposal. However, this bill on capital hill has another shot, but time is short. The Mental Health and Schools Act was originally proposed in May of 2009 by Grace Napolitano. A proposed Bill has two years to become a law otherwise it is wiped from the books. Apparently Ron Artest will be heading up this bill blitzkrieg.
Artest was recently awarded the key to the city in Las Vegas after giving a speech regarding mental health issues to a local high-school. The NBA superstar has also raised over 600,000 dollars in charitable donations. On IN a recent interview with MSNBC he said "I think it is normal to have a mental health issue. People could call you crazy but it's totally normal these days. I just wanted to let kids out there know that it's OK." Artest reports that he himself struggled with his mental health and after seeking treatment he is doing much better.
Despite Artest's lack of articulation, the bill he is backing would be a milestone in the United States' treatment for those with mental health problems. The bill would provide over 200 millions dollars in funding and also mandate training in the treatment of mental health, local school board memorandums, and develop guidelines for the submission of data. After the tragedy in Arizona it seems that a law of this nature is more significant.
Im glad Artest is doing better, because I remember this game.
This blog is the work of Loyola University Chicago's Advanced Reporting class for Spring 2011. We will be researching and writing about mental illnesses and brain diseases in an effort to educate the general public about the issues surrounding mental health. We hope to reduce the stigma of mental illness and present accurate and fair reporting on current mental health issues.
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