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AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko introduced legislation today in the House of Representatives that would fund research to study the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on the mental health of Americans, and more specifically, health care providers.

“Every one of us has felt the burden of this crisis. Our frontline workers have been coping with many weeks of exposure to the physical and emotional devastation caused by this pandemic. We have all heard stories of nurses returning home from a shift in the hospital and simply sobbing for hours at what they had seen. For those healthcare employees living with a mental illness, the anxiety and fear are magnified,” Congressman Tonko said. “Our federal response must be one that addresses not only the physical, but also the mental health impacts caused by COVID-19. By examining these impacts, we can better support our medical professionals, emergency responders, families, and children alike and provide them with the necessary resources to recover from this pandemic. I urge my colleagues to move forward with this legislation that delivers hope to Americans during these uncertain times.”

Throughout this pandemic, Tonko has championed funding to address mental health. In March, he led a bipartisan letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging the third coronavirus response package to address the mental health challenges associated with this public health crisis. As a result, the CARES Act included $425 million for emergency mental health and substance use services, including $50 million for suicide prevention programs.

The legislation Tonko introduced today authorizes $100 million each year for five years to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The bill will fund:

• Research on the mental health impact of COVID–19 on health care providers
• Research on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 stressors on mental health
• Research to strengthen the mental health response to COVID-19, including adapting to or providing additional services for new or increasing mental health needs
• Research on the reach, efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of digital mental health interventions
• Research on the effectiveness of strategies for implementation and delivery of evidence-based mental health interventions and services for underserved populations
• Research on suicide prevention

The legislation is expected to pass as part of the next Coronavirus stimulus package.

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