Trump talks mental health after Florida school shooting

Lyanne Melendez Image
Friday, February 16, 2018
Trump talks mental health after Florida school shooting
President Donald Trump addressed the nation Thursday morning in response to Wednesday's Florida school shooting.

PARKLAND, Fla. (KGO) -- President Donald Trump addressed the nation Thursday morning in response to Wednesday's Florida school shooting.

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"We are committed to working with state and local leaders to help secure our schools and tackle the difficult issue of mental health," the president told a group of reporters.

Yet, he gave no specifics on how he would confront the issue of mental health in the country.

Looking over his proposed 2019 budget, Mr. Trump has called for an additional 10 billion dollars in discretionary funding to address the opioid epidemic and serious mental illness.

But the President also wants lawmakers to cut entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which would unavoidably affect access to mental health care.

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Doctor Matthew Hirschtritt, a UCSF psychiatrist, has seen the numbers.

"Medicaid actually funds over a quarter of mental health services in the U.S. and over half of the public mental health services in the U.S., it's a major source of mental health funding," said Dr. Hirschtritt.

But towards the end of his speech, the President seemed more open to the idea of supporting these types of programs. "It is not enough to simply take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference, we must actually make that difference," the President said before leaving the room.

Trump did not address the issue of gun control.

Click here for full coverage on the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and click here for a look at comprehensive coverage on school shootings here in the Bay Area and across the country.