Their State’s Report Card
NAMI’s latest Grading the States report was in 2006 and neither candidate’s states fared very well. McCain’s home state of Arizona received a grade of “D” and Obama’s home state of Illinois received an “F.”
| Arizona (McCain) | Illinois (Obama) | |
| Per Capita Mental Health Spending: | $126.33 | $66.12 |
| Per Capita Income: | $25,481 | $31,987 |
| Total Mental Health Spending (in millions): | $702 | $835 |
| Suicide Rank (out of 50): | 6 | 44 |
| Infrastructure: | B- | D- |
| Information Access: | D- | F |
| Services: | D | F |
| Recovery Supports: | B+ | D |
| Overall Grade: | D | F |
I will point out some obvious differences between the two states and candidates. McCain has been in Congress since 1982, some 26 years, representing his state’s interests. Obama, in contrast, has only been in Congress since 2005, and has had far less time to divert money or resources to his state to help with mental health concerns. Illinois is also home to Chicago, a far larger city than Arizona’s largest city, Phoenix. Large, older cities like Chicago tend to have larger, more intractable social systems in place that make it difficult to effect significant change. However, Illinois is spending only about half of what Arizona is spending on mental health care.
Neither state has done well on this “report card,” but I would also note that the report card itself is badly skewed to the negative end of the spectrum, with no state receiving an “A” grade and only a handful garnering a “B.” This report card reflects no Bell curve, but rather a skewed curve to forward NAMI’s own policy agenda of effecting significant change within states. One could argue that it’s perhaps more of a public relations tool than a serious piece of research.
We didn’t compare the Vice Presidential candidates’ stances on mental healthcare because, frankly, there’s no comparison. Senator Joe Biden has been a long-standing advocate in the Senate for people with health and mental health issues, including protection and full funding for Medicare and Medicaid programs. He also is on record for supporting full mental health parity and was co-sponsor of the bills brought before the Senate on this issue. His opponent, Gov. Sarah Palin, has no national record on mental health issues; Alaska received a “D” grade on NAMI’s report card (although Palin took office after this report card was released). Last week, Alaska and Gov. Palin were sued by the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights to address the “excessive, ineffective, and extremely harmful psychiatric drugging of Alaskan children and youth.” And her newsworthy mental health efforts in Alaska? Pushing for more aggressive development of the lands that Alaska’s Mental Health Trust owns.
Summary
Based upon our findings, we’d have to say the stronger mental health and psychology candidate is Obama. Whereas McCain tends to support mental health causes when in the majority, he doesn’t appear to go out on a limb for anything in the areas of mental health or psychological sciences funding. Obama, on the other hand, has co-sponsored a major piece of Senate legislation in mental health (mental health parity) and shows he understands the stigma still associated with mental health issues in his co-sponsorship of the Mothers Act.
The differences between these two candidates’s stances on mental health issues are not clearly significant. They both appear to appreciate that mental health often gets the short end of the stick when it comes to healthcare policy decisions in general, and we believe would both work to help end the discrimination that exists today for people with a mental illness.
| McCain | Obama | ||
| NAMI Questionnaire | Provided Statement | Answered “Strongly Supports” to all questions | |
| Medicare/Medicaid Votes | NV, NV, NV | NV, Yes, Yes | |
| Federal Budgets | No, Yes, Yes | Yes, No, No | |
| Mental Health Parity | Yes | Yes (Co-sponsor) | |
| Mental Health Screenings | Unknown | Yes (Co-sponsor) | |
| State’s Mental Health Rankings | D (per capita spending: $126) | F (per capita spending: $66) | |
| Psych Central’s Ranking | 2 | 1 | |
| NV = Did not vote | |||
We think it is short-sighted and fairly ridiculous to vote on a presidential candidate on the basis of a single issue. So we will not be making presidential voting decisions based solely on the information found here.
But it can help one make a better informed decision about the candidate as a whole and help us understand whether they truly comprehend the complexity that people suffering from a mental disorder face in today’s society. We believe that both candidates do, but that Obama is a more vocal and forceful advocate for people who grapple with mental health concerns.
For More Information…
2008 Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals: Side by Side Summary – Kaiser Family Foundation
Senator John McCain’s Health Care Plan
Senator Barack Obama’s Health Care Plan
10 comments
Wow, another reason to not vote for McCain. If I could have prevented having bipolar disorder, I WOULD HAVE.
John McCain’s health care straight talk, if one is seriously seeking answers, gives us what we need. To be able to pick mental health care coverage if a person needs it is all that is necessary. To demand it be provided in all policies, and make everyone pay for it is as beneficial as making a man pay for OB/GYN coverage.
Choosing is where it’s at.
Barrack Obama’s presentation of provision, well, let’s just say he’d make Karl Marx proud. I am not a socialist, nor do I wish for the USA to become more socialistic than it already is. Young voters may vote for his type of social reforms, but they will regret that decision later in life, once they realize the horrible outcomes from it.
Give me choices that mean something to me, and I’m a happy camper. So far, McCain wins on this battle.
McCain is still just riding Bush’s coattails, although I’m not sure why given Bush’s record.
Obama recognizes that those of us struggling with a mental disorder should be equal to that of those with a physical disorder. Too many homeless people have a mental disorder and have no where to go, except to jail for a day or two to get a hot meal.
Shameful – we treat animals better than that!
And if the two candidates aren’t speaking up enough about it get involved and speak up yourself – if we’re loud enough they will hear it!
It’s interesting that comment about choices – McCain’s ‘plan’ doesn’t figure in the mental health needs for those who don’t have a choice i.e. they are low-income and may not have enough of a support system to know where they can get help. Obama’s health care plan encourages responsibility and choice for those with the mental and financial means. For those that don’t have so many options, there is help. As a society, we must remember that we all benefit when we help the less fortunate to help themselves.
I intend to vote for McCain.
I do not want to send my 6 yrs. granddaughter into poverty with so many government programs.
My son, age 30 works part time and I have to pay his health insurance. He has bipolar disorder, obssesive-compulsive and attention disorder.
He lives with us because I want to know what he is doing. We encourage him to join support groups, but would appreciate some type of government aid if that is possible.
I am sure there are thousands of persons in the same situation.
NAMI is a great comfort to me and we must all band together for this cause and education of our citizenry and politicians about mental illness.