The Helping Families with Mental Health Crisis Act is a collaborative effort that will launch an effort to curb youth suicide in South Dakota.

Initially Representative Tim Murphy from Pennsylvania as a practicing Child Psychologist crafted the legislation as a means to help improve the potential of treating mental disorders among the youth. Congresswoman Kristi Noem saw the bill’s potential and co-sponsored the measure.

"It breaks down some of the barriers that the HIPPA requirements have put into place and allow families to cooperate with doctors better. It will also give us tele-psychiatry which is important in a state like South Dakota and sets up a suicide prevention hotline which has been proven to be extremely helpful for those who may be in a desperate situation."

Eventually Noem brought Murphy to the Reservation where suicide is rampant in order to highlight South Dakota’s needs.

"Him visiting and talking with the affected people and seeing how remote our tribes truly are convinced him to make some changes (in the bill) that are going to benefit South Dakota. (For example) we needed the tele-psychiatry because we've seen the success with tele-health in South Dakota and I knew that was going to be necessary."

By putting the framework in place to intervene either during or before that moment of crisis, Noem believes lives can be saved both on an off the Reservation.

Noem says the law will is a few weeks away from going through the committee process. The hope is that both Houses would approve the statute this year.


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