The National Guard Association of the United States is currently seeking additional support of H.R. 1604, the Veterans’ Mental Health Care Access Act. H.R. 1604 will allow Veterans to seek immediate mental health care at any non-VA facilities eligible to receive reimbursement through the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. H.R. 1604 is sponsored by Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-NJ, a strong supporter of Veteran care.
For more information, and for access to a contact form to show your support to your representative, click on ‘NGAUS Legislative Alert #15-14’ at the following link: www.ngaus.org/advocating-national-guard/take-action.
Tags: NGAUS
As long as doing so doesn’t prevent those seeking help from buying a firearm purely because they sought help.
As the laws currently stand, seeking help in no way hinders a person from buying a firearm. Even being treated for mental illness does not affect buying a firearm. The only way it is affected is if the person is adjudicated unsafe or incompetent (legal process, not purely medical). So, theoretically, you could be diagnosed as a schizophrenic, be totally off your meds, but have never been through an involuntary commitment to a treatment facility, and pass a FFL background check with no problem as ATF 4473 relies largely on the honor system.
Bottom line: If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others, seek help. You will not lose your guns for seeking help, you will not lose your guns for having appropriate mental health care. You will only lose your guns if you are a clear and present danger to yourself/other or you are legally unable to make decisions regarding your own affairs.
Source: Mental Health Professional