President Trump, per CBS News “says it is “actively exploring” ways to help states expand inpatient mental health treatment using Medicaid funds.” So the window seems to be opening for those who need help to be able to get it.

Trump said ,”In the old days, you would put him into a mental institution. We’re going to have to start talking about mental institutions …we have nothing between a prison and leaving him at his house, which we can’t do anymore. We’re going to have to start talking about mental institutions …we have nothing between a prison and leaving him at his house, which we can’t do anymore.” He was referring to the Parkland school shooter, Nikolas Cruz. His troubling behavior prompted those close to him to plead for help from the authorities, which seems to have fell on deaf ears.

Many organizations that represent state officials and people with mental illness say no one wants to go back to the bad old days of warehousing patients in institutions. But they have called for federal action that is needed to reverse a decades old law known as the IMD (institution for mental diseases) exclusion, which bars Medicaid from paying for treatment in mental health facilities with more than 16 beds.

It is my hope that with the President behind doing something on the mental health level that maybe we as a nation can start a serious national discussion about both mental health and gun control, something that has been needed for many years now. We can not just make new laws on gun control without also addressing the mental health issues that have caused many of the school shooters to act.

“State officials would welcome a change to Medicaid’s exclusionary rule, said Matt Salo, head of the nonpartisan National Association of Medicaid Directors, which supports full repeal of the policy and, short of that, expanded waivers.

“There is a need for a spectrum of services for people suffering from mental illness and substance abuse,” Salo said. “That spectrum should include everything from community-based resources as well as more structured institutional care.””

So go find out who your political representative(s) are on both state and federal levels and make your voice heard, make sure that they understand that these mass shootings can not be stopped by only addressing gun control. They must be made to realize that mental health issues play a large part in what drives these people to do what they do.

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike