By Editorial Board
June 21, 2016

When more than half of people who need mental health care can't or don't get it -- as is true in the U.S. -- other problems arise. For sufferers, these include physical illness, lost earnings, substance abuse and suicide. For society, there is greater crime and homelessness.

So legislation in the House of Representatives meant to expand mental health care is welcome. The bill, which could soon get a vote, would give mental health issues more weight within the Department of Health and Human Services and improve tracking of wait times for psychiatric beds. It would also provide small grants for suicide prevention, for educating new psychologists, and for training police to better engage with the mentally ill.