06-20-2013, 11:47 PM
Yep, it's not only a question of those with documented mental illness not being reported to the Fed for NICS background check data population (due largely to state and organizational privacy policies), but also a problem in mental health categorization, tracking and reporting in general - not only specific to gun qualification.
There's a hell of a lot of room for improvement in keeping guns out of the wrong hands; hard work but needs to be undertaken.
Doesn't matter to me who initiates the dialogue and actions to work towards such improvements - bi partisan issue that benefits all.
I'm encouraged to at least see some of the ambiguity and gaps being acknowledged and formally addressed.
Of the 23 Executive Actions that were enacted in January, these are the ones that relate to mental illness/health and are now being addressed.
-Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.
-Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
-Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
-Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
-Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
-Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.
There will always be some mentally ill who never seek treatment and never have any "incidents" before going postal, and those who work around the existing system to get guns via straw purchasers or private transactions. But, it's still important to do as much as possible to keep guns out of the hands of unqualified gun owners who present known threats to society. IMO.
There's a hell of a lot of room for improvement in keeping guns out of the wrong hands; hard work but needs to be undertaken.
Doesn't matter to me who initiates the dialogue and actions to work towards such improvements - bi partisan issue that benefits all.
I'm encouraged to at least see some of the ambiguity and gaps being acknowledged and formally addressed.
Of the 23 Executive Actions that were enacted in January, these are the ones that relate to mental illness/health and are now being addressed.
-Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.
-Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
-Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
-Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
-Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
-Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.
There will always be some mentally ill who never seek treatment and never have any "incidents" before going postal, and those who work around the existing system to get guns via straw purchasers or private transactions. But, it's still important to do as much as possible to keep guns out of the hands of unqualified gun owners who present known threats to society. IMO.