During the 90th Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, USCM President Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced the creation of a new official Task Force on Mental Health and Wellbeing.
The Task Force will be chaired by USCM Vice President and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve.
Cities have increasingly made providing mental health services a priority, and the USCM has been working closely with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on solutions and best practices for getting people needed help and resources.
“Mental health is one of the great challenges of our time, and that means mayors are going to be playing a leading role answering it,” said USCM President Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. “Already cities are devoting resources for those in need, and I know this Task Force will be an engine for innovation and solutions. I’m grateful to Mayor Schieve for her outstanding leadership on this issue and for Dr. Murthy’s continued partnership to help promote health, wellness, and safety in cities.”
“Millions of Americans are suffering today, and too many are doing so in silence. While we’ve made progress to break down barriers to this critical care and end the stigma associated with mental health, we have so much more work to do,” said Mayor Schieve. “This Task Force will help guide a national conversation and build on the work that mayors across the country are already doing to fill critical gaps in care that are leaving too many behind. I’m grateful to Mayor Suarez for entrusting me to lead this important effort.”
