Over 20 member organizations of the Coalition for Smart Safety, including CPR, have released a letter addressing concerns with the RESPONSE Act, which was introduced today by Sen. Cornyn. While we support efforts to reduce mass violence, the coalition opposes any legislation that ties those efforts to mental health reform. Doing so will only serve to “fuel prejudice, fear, and marginalization of individuals with mental health disabilities” and “may also lead many people to avoid seeking needed services.”
CPR joins with fellow members of the coalition in urging Sen. Cornyn “to modify the bill to focus on evidence-based strategies to address mass violence, to separate out mental health reforms from reforms targeted at mass violence, and to eliminate concerning mental health provisions such as those promoting the use of [Assisted Outpatient Treatment].”