DETROIT, Mich. (Jan. 26, 2022) — Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) has issued the following statement on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address, in which she spoke about the need to prioritize disparities in mental health care access:
“The last few years of grief, loss, and loneliness has taken a tremendous toll on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of many folks, especially Detroiters, who have borne the brunt of this pandemic and the deaths that have resulted from it. As families continue to climb their way out of a historic public health crisis, the silent suffering of every person lacking proper access to mental health services begins, and they will need professional help if they are to heal.
“For many Michiganders, true relief can only come when we recognize the historic racial disparities in mental health care access and delivery in our communities. It’s my sincere hope for the coming year that we find common ground on this issue for the sake of the health and success of all Michigan families. Mental health care is health care. It’s a critical and necessary component to recovery, and people should be able to access it without barriers impeding their way as they work to make themselves whole once again.”
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