WASHINGTON â In a push to combat the effect of the COVID-19 pandemicâs toll on mental health, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed the feds to âquick releaseâ $5 billion dollars he worked to include in the recently-passed American Rescue Plan (ARP) so that the funds can give New Yorkers â and the mental health providers they rely upon â the help theyâre asking for amid rising need.Â
Schumer said that, on average, three times more people than last year at this time report struggling with mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety, drug use and more. Schumer said that one of the biggest problems to beating these feelings and reclaiming mental health depends on timely access to care and overall access to care.