SENATOR COLLINS IS PRESENTED WITH AWARD FOR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Susan Collins today was pleased to accept an award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).  The organization recognized her efforts to improve the lives of the people living with mental illnesses.  Senator Collins met with the NAMI Board of Directors at her Washington, D. C. office to discuss issues pertaining to families of children and adolescents living with mental illness.  NAMI thanked Senator Collins for her introduction of the Keeping Families Together Act, and her outstanding work to reduce the barriers families face when caring for children with mental illnesses.    The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization.  They are dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families.  NAMI is a national organization that includes outlets in every state.  NAMI furthers its cause through advocacy, research, support, and education.    Senator Collins is a leader in promoting awareness of the strain on families caring for children and adolescents with mental illness.  She introduced the Keeping Families Together Act, a piece of legislation that addresses barriers encountered by families that has led many families to surrender custody of children with mental illness due to inadequate access to mental health care.  Additionally, Senator Collins is the lead Republican Cosponsor of another piece of legislation, the Child Healthcare Crisis Relief Act, which is focused on the shortage of child mental health professionals.