According to SAMHSA, about 11.4 million adult Americans suffered from severe mental illness in 2010.
Nearly 2 million teens, or 8 percent of the adolescent population, experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.
Yet only about 60 percent of people with mental illness get treatment each year.
In the context of the recent shootings here in the US, we believe there is merit for the White House to partner with Congress to begin investigating how providing universal, long-term mental health care to those who need it might help curb the increasing incidences of gun violence, and change the way debates on these issues are happening.
Promoting the health and well being of all, and concurrently curbing easy access to firearms may make a big impact.