Biden plan would tackle chronic gaps in mental health care

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has a new plan to expand mental health and drug abuse treatment. He proposes pouring hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into suicide prevention, mental health services for youth, and community clinics providing 24/7 access to people in crisis. Biden unveiled the plan in his State of the Union speech. The president wants to close America’s chronic gap in care between diseases of the body and those of the mind. Health insurance would have to cover three mental health visits a year at no cost. For such a big move, Biden must win backing from lawmakers of both parties.