Skip To Content
April 16, 2020

Congressman David Trone Hosts COVID-19 Mental Health Webinar with Over 350 People Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov

Congressman David Trone Hosts COVID-19 Mental Health Webinar with Over 350 People Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

GAITHERSBURG, MD – Today, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) held a mental health webinar with more than 350 attendees and a panel of experts from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Sheppard Pratt Health Systems, and Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

This webinar comes after the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which included provisions to directly address the mental health effects of the coronavirus outbreak. The bill included $250 million in funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers, funding for suicide and family violence prevention, and other important priorities. Trone worked with Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate to secure this funding.

“While the coronavirus continues to take a toll on our physical health, the pandemic is also affecting the mental health of millions across the nation. We cannot afford to ignore these health concerns,” said Congressman David Trone. “We need to prioritize the mental health of our country and support ourselves, our family, and our friends who may be suffering because of this crisis. I want to thank our many community partners for joining our webinar today and for providing important information to help our communities get through this crisis.”

In Congress, Trone has made investing in and reforming the nation’s mental health system a top priority. Trone’s Freshmen Working Group on Addiction has supported dozens of mental health bills related to addiction. In June, he introduced the bipartisan Higher Education Mental Health Act, which passed the Education and Labor Committee. In November, he held a roundtable with first responders to discuss the urgent need for mental health care for those on the front lines. He has also pushed for mental health support for incarcerated individuals, introducing a bipartisan bill in February that would support mental health treatment for those in prison and returning to society.

The webinar featured presentations from:

  • Stephanie Rosen – Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Montgomery County
  • Dr. John Draper – Executive Director, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
  • Jeff Richardson – Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Sheppard Pratt Health Systems
  • Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana – Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

You can find a replay of the presentation here.

You can find a link to the presentation here.

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees, where he is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research. 

###