HELP panel to hold hearing on mental health

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will look at the state of the U.S. mental healthcare system in a hearing next week.

The event will continue debate on how to improve treatment for the mentally ill in light of recent mass shootings.

President Obama unveiled his plan to reduce gun violence on Wednesday, which called for rules implementing mental health parity and federal research on gun violence. 

But advocates say more work is needed to strengthen the U.S. mental healthcare system, which has faced cuts in recent years.

The HELP hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 24, and will feature testimony from the heads of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Institutes of Mental Health.

"The hearing will provide senators an opportunity to examine the most pressing problems in our mental health system, including a need to focus on prevention and early intervention," committee staff said.

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