Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Last week, Rep. Becca Balint joined Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) in leading their colleagues in a bicameral letter demanding the Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rescind his past statements further stigmatizing mental health treatment. His comments include misinformation such as the use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can be linked to school shootings and that SSRIs are more addictive than heroin. Both claims have zero scientific evidence behind them and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. SSRIs are one of the leading treatments for depression, anxiety, and other psychological conditions and are used by nearly 32 million Americans each year.

“We write to express our deep concerns regarding the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s troubling characterization of mental and behavioral health medication and your recent comments promoting disproven and outright false theories about these important treatments. These statements further stigmatize the mental and behavioral health challenges that one in five Americans live with, and can have a chilling effect on Americans seeking scientifically sound, medically necessary, and appropriate care,” wrote the lawmakers.

“A mental health illness is exactly as the name says, an illness. Similar to a physical health condition or illness, sometimes medication is necessary for treatment. For individuals with mental illness, it is no different. In addition to therapy, medications may be necessary and appropriate. For individuals living with moderate or severe depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or other conditions, medication can alleviate symptoms so they can function normally and have improved quality of life. We urge you to retract your harmful and false comments on mental illness and the usage of SSRIs. The American people want to see the federal government address the burden of mental and behavioral health challenges, for which there is much more bipartisan work to be done. But it is imperative that in doing so, we follow research and best practice guidance, and that harmful stereotypes and stigma are not reinforced,” the letter continued.

“Tens of millions of Americans struggle with mental health challenges. Prescription medication has long been one of the tools that medical providers use to treat illness. Mental health is no different,” said Rep. Balint. “To mischaracterize these medications as a “threat” is deeply dangerous and inflammatory. The Department of Health and Human Services should be a trusted source on all health issues - including mental health, especially as we face a growing mental health crisis in this country. I’m deeply disturbed that Secretary Kennedy continues to make reckless comments that could affect the health of millions of Americans. Medications for disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and substance use can change lives. We should be able to work toward bipartisan mental health solutions rather than tearing down our fellow Americans.” 

“Secretary Kennedy’s false statements about certain mental health medications aren’t just unhelpful, they’re dangerous,” said Rep. Salinas. “The stigma around seeking help is bad enough as it is, and we can't afford more misinformation – much less coming from our federal government. Secretary Kennedy needs to retract these comments, stick to the science, and stop spreading his untrue and unqualified opinions about how to treat mental illness and addiction.”

Secretary Kennedy has a long history of pushing harmful stereotypes around mental and behavioral health issues.

1. Most recently, he directed the Department of Health and Human Services to assess the “threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, [and] stimulants.” While the focus of this portion of the Commission is making children healthy, the characterization that these medications pose a “threat” will have far-reaching implications for Americans of all ages seeking and accessing mental health treatment and only serves to further stigmatize mental illness.
2. He has implied a link between antidepressants and school shootings and pushed for the issue to be researched, even though a comprehensive analysis of FBI data from 200-2017 found that the majority of school shooters were not previously treated with psychotropic medications, and of those who were, no direct or causal association was found.
3. He falsely stated that SSRIs are addictive, saying at time they are more difficult to wean off of than heroin. Mental health professionals have widely denounced that characterization, including Keith Humphreys, a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, characterized antidepressants and heroin as existing in “different universes” in terms of addiction risk. Of course, like any medication, the usage and stoppage of SSRIs should be a decision made between a patient and their provider with continued monitoring and consultation.

For the full text of the letter click here.