---
title: "Psych News Alert: Rep. Murphy Pushes for Comprehensive MH Reform Law"
description: Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.-18) will reintroduce in Congress the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act , a comprehensive reform of the ...
image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/TimMurphy-AML-Jun-24-2025-03-33-35-9743-PM.jpg
---

 6/24/24 11:16 AM

# Rep. Murphy Pushes for Comprehensive MH Reform Law

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert)

Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/01/rep-murphy-pushes-for-comprehensive-mh.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/01/rep-murphy-pushes-for-comprehensive-mh.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/01/rep-murphy-pushes-for-comprehensive-mh.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/01/rep-murphy-pushes-for-comprehensive-mh.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/01/rep-murphy-pushes-for-comprehensive-mh.html)

| ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/TimMurphy-AML-Jun-24-2025-03-33-35-0967-PM.jpg?width=200&height=133&name=TimMurphy-AML-Jun-24-2025-03-33-35-0967-PM.jpg) |  |
| --- | --- |

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.-18) will reintroduce in Congress the [Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act](http://murphy.house.gov/helpingfamiliesinmentalhealthcrisisact), a comprehensive reform of the American mental health system.

Murphy outlined the proposed bill as he was awarded the 2014 Torrey Advocacy Commendation by E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., founder of the Treatment Advocacy Center, at a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., yesterday.

“We must turn a system of pessimism, closed doors, and bureaucratic hurdles into one that embraces innovation, evidence-based care, and a spectrum of treatment options that fits the patient’s needs,” said Murphy.

In response, APA President Paul Summergrad, M.D., announced that APA’s Board of Trustees had voted unanimously last month to support Murphy’s bill.

“We hope for broad bipartisan support for something that should be above partisan politics,” said Summergrad. “APA’s psychiatric physicians will be there every step of the way to get this task accomplished.”

The bill has provisions for improving community services and integrating them with primary care, protecting access to psychiatric medications under Medicare and Medicaid, reauthorizing suicide prevention programs, and expanding research at the National Institute of Mental Health, said Murphy.

Other provisions include implementing mental health parity and monitoring its enforcement, ending the shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds, and expanding the mental health workforce.

Murphy asked for help from professional and patient groups to advocate for the legislation.

“I will not rest, nor yield, nor turn my back until we solve this problem,” he said.

(Image: Aaron Levin)

[APA](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apa), [mental health](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health), [Rep. Tim Murphy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-tim-murphy), [Paul Summergrad M.D.](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/paul-summergrad-m-d-), [mental health reform](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health-reform), [Treatment Advocacy Center](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/treatment-advocacy-center), [E. Fuller Torrey](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/e-fuller-torrey)

## Related posts

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/murphy_f%5B1%5D-Jun-24-2025-05-27-48-4089-PM.gif?height=200&name=murphy_f%5B1%5D-Jun-24-2025-05-27-48-4089-PM.gif) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/06/reps-murphy-johnson-reintroduce-house.html)

[Rep. Tim Murphy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-tim-murphy), [mental health reform](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health-reform), [Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-eddie-bernice-johnson), [Helping Families in Mental Heath Crisis Act](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/helping-families-in-mental-heath-crisis-act), [reintroduce](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/reintroduce)

## [Reps. Murphy, Johnson Reintroduce House Mental Health Reform Bill](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/06/reps-murphy-johnson-reintroduce-house.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 6/5/15 12:00 AM

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) reintroduced the Helping Families...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/06/reps-murphy-johnson-reintroduce-house.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Jeffrey_lieberman1-Jun-24-2025-09-39-47-2783-PM.gif?height=200&name=Jeffrey_lieberman1-Jun-24-2025-09-39-47-2783-PM.gif) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/06/capitol-hill-hearing-underscores-urgent.html)

[Jeffrey Lieberman](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/jeffrey-lieberman), [Rep. Tim Murphy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-tim-murphy), [Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-eddie-bernice-johnson), [Helping Families in Mental Heath Crisis Act](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/helping-families-in-mental-heath-crisis-act)

## [Capitol Hill Hearing Underscores Urgent Need for Mental Health Reform](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/06/capitol-hill-hearing-underscores-urgent.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 6/17/15 12:00 AM

The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing yesterday on landmark legislation...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/06/capitol-hill-hearing-underscores-urgent.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/TimMurphy-AML-Jun-24-2025-03-46-28-8185-PM.jpg?height=200&name=TimMurphy-AML-Jun-24-2025-03-46-28-8185-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/12/house-passes-major-mental-health.html)

[APA](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/apa), [psychiatry](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatry), [House of Representatives](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/house-of-representatives), [samhsa](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/samhsa), [Barack Obama](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/barack-obama), [mental health](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/mental-health), [Rep. Tim Murphy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-tim-murphy), [Maria A. Oquendo](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/maria-a-oquendo), [Sen. Chris Murphy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/sen-chris-murphy), [Sen. Bill Cassidy](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/sen-bill-cassidy), [21st Century Cures Act](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/21st-century-cures-act), [Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rep-eddie-bernice-johnson)

## [House Passes Major Mental Health Legislation](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/12/house-passes-major-mental-health.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 12/1/16 12:00 AM

The House of Representatives last night passed the 21st Century Cures Act by a vote of 392-26. This...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/12/house-passes-major-mental-health.html)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert",
    "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T15:38:39.242Z",
  "datePublished" : "2024-06-24T15:16:15.000Z",
  "headline" : "Psych News Alert: Rep. Murphy Pushes for Comprehensive MH Reform Law",
  "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/TimMurphy-AML-Jun-24-2025-03-33-35-9743-PM.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/01/rep-murphy-pushes-for-comprehensive-mh.html",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg"
    }
  }
}
```