Young Lawmakers Pursue “Desperately Needed” Mental Health Solutions across America

By Catherine Nichols

It’s no secret that Americans are struggling with mental health. The United States hit a record low in the latest World Happiness Report, and less than half of Americans say that they are “very satisfied” with their lives overall. Researchers, doctors, and politicians alike are asking: just how deep does this discontent run — and what can be done about it?

The data are staggering. According to the CDC, the U.S. is in the midst of a teen mental health crisis, with rates of depression, anxiety and suicidality rising among middle and high schoolers. Marginalized students face higher risks of violence, and the number of students reporting poor mental health is “concerningly high.”

But youth are not the only ones falling through the cracks of a fragmented health care system. Veterans face rising suicide rates. Incarcerated people have severely limited access to professional care. Even lawmakers themselves, faced with harassment and toxic political division, are feeling the strain.

Given the scale and severity of this crisis, it’s encouraging to see state legislators stepping up with practical — and often cross-partisan — solutions, from addressing phone addiction in schools to investing in mental health treatment for people in prison. Despite the personal toll politics can take, lawmakers across the country and the political spectrum are putting their heads together to improve their constituents’ access to quality mental health care. 

Take Rep. Parker Moore, R-Ala., and Asm. Brian Cunningham, D-N.Y. Though they come from vastly different political perspectives, in legislatures over one thousand miles apart, Moore and Cunningham have both pushed for mobile crisis units to provide mental health services to underserved communities in their states. 

“It shows the interconnectivity of not only bipartisan legislation, but what’s happening in different states across the country. We’re more the same than different,” said Cunningham. 

Mental health crises are impacting every state and district in the country, regardless of how well-resourced their systems may be. New York, ranked favorably by Mental Health America, still has major gaps to fill — something Cunningham is working to address. 

“Helping expand access to mental health opportunities for people is something that is desperately needed in our state, especially among our youth,” said Moore, whose home state of Alabama consistently ranks among the worst for mental health services. 

Moore, elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2018, has prioritized mental health throughout his tenure, serving on the state’s Joint Mental Health Task Force. 

“When COVID hit, we saw a huge uptick in mental health [crises], primarily among some of our youth, and so we’ve been rapidly trying to catch up,” he said. “We’ve allocated a little over $330 million dollars back into the Department of Mental Health to provide access and try to get those who need help, help.” 

Moore’s mental health advocacy also extends to substance use and addiction. As a member of the Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Funds, he has helped steer millions of dollars toward treatment initiatives for veterans and prison populations. 

Substance abuse is deeply intertwined with mental health crises, especially in the prison system. Over half of people held in state prisons show signs of a mental health condition, and approximately half met the criteria for a substance use disorder in the year before being incarcerated, according to the Prison Policy Institute. 

Startlingly few prisons are equipped to care for mental illness, and can even exacerbate symptoms and suffering. Because state legislatures have significant control over how prisons operate, their policy decisions can be a turning point in how incarcerated people are treated — and whether they get a chance at recovery. 

That’s why Moore and Cunningham are finding solutions that work for their states — and for the people who fall through cracks in the system. 

In Alabama, Moore is supporting the construction of a facility dedicated to mental health and substance abuse treatment. Funding mental health-informed training for law enforcement is also important to Moore, with the goal of directing people to care rather than prison. 

In Albany, Cunningham introduced A01843, which aims to “revisit treatment and punishment for people who commit crimes while suffering from addiction.” Under this bill, incarcerated individuals who complete substance abuse treatment and commit to remaining sober would be eligible for early parole, a step toward reducing the long-term harm of incarceration and promoting reintegration.

Even as legislators like Moore and Cunningham advance policy to relieve the mental health burdens on their constituents, they face the toll of a political climate marred by hyper-partisanship, mistrust and toxicity. 

Rep. Greg Scott, D-Penn., has co-sponsored legislation to expand access to mental health services in schools and limit isolating practices in prisons. All the while, though, Scott has witnessed just how personal the mental health crisis can become for elected officials.

“These have been trying times, especially for state legislators,” said Scott, reflecting on the recent murder of Minnesota state Sen. Melissa Hortman and her husband, an attack that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called a “politically-motivated assassination.” 

Political violence is not a new concern for state lawmakers. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, over 40% of state legislators experienced threats or attacks between 2020 and 2023. Nearly 90% had been stalked or harassed because of their political views. At Future Summit 2025, five Future Caucus members — including Scott — contributed to a Washington Post article revealing that for some, the stress is so intense that they are questioning whether politics is even worth it.

Online harassment, in-person threats, and doxxing are more than security concerns. Not only are these attacks telling symptoms of the hyper-partisan epidemic that America faces, they’re chipping away at the well-being of the very people elected to keep democracy functioning. 

In an increasingly isolating political atmosphere, reaching across the aisle can mean more than a policy win — though Moore and Cunningham’s efforts underscore the power of policy to improve the health and well-being of millions. Cross-partisan collaboration is about restoring trust, community, and the sense that nobody has to face their challenges alone.