President Obama To Sign Congressman Murphy's Mental Health Bill Today

PITTSBURGH (News-Radio 1020 KDKA) - Pittsburgh-area Congressman Tim Murphy is in Washington today to watch President Barack Obama sign the 21st Century Cures healthcare reform package.

Murphy's mental health reform bill is part of that package.  He told the "KDKA Morning News" that one thing will happen quickly.

"The appointment now of an assistant secretary of mental health and substance abuse to organize the 112 federal agencies that kinda work with mental health, but not very well," he said.

Murphy says there's money in the measure to hire more psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers around the country, and more help for parents whose adult children are battling mental illness.

Murphy adds he's happy to have the bill become a reality.

"It was a long fought battle, and boy I'm just glad that we finally got here, because there were many days I wasn't sure we were going to get here," he said.

The Upper St. Clair Republican said that it will provide funding for more people to treat mental illness.

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