Every day mental disorders among older adults go undetected and untreated. To meet this critical health care need, bipartisan legislation to bring clinically proven treatments and services to older adults was introduced today in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

In a letter sent today to the congressional sponsors of the “Positive Aging Act,” the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP), which has long promoted better access to mental health care for seniors, underscored its strong support for this bill.

Introduced by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), the “Positive Aging Act” improves access to quality mental health services for the rapidly growing population of older Americans. Through projects administered by the Administration on Aging and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, this legislation will integrate mental health services with other primary care services in community settings that are easily accessible to the elderly.

Dementia, depression, anxiety and substance abuse among Americans over age 65 are growing problems that result in functional dependence, long-term institutional care, reduced quality of life and possibly suicide. The failure to diagnose and treat mental diseases is taking a tremendous toll on the elderly and increasing the burden on families and the health care system. The “Positive Aging Act” will create more opportunities for effective diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders among the elderly.

“The promise of positive aging relies on good mental health. Yet how can we expect seniors to enjoy old age when mental illness in late life is so often undiagnosed and under-treated?” questioned AAGP President Anand Kumar, M.D. “It is vital that mental health services are provided where seniors gather, rather than asking them to find the services.”

Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and John Breaux (D-LA), and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), joined Clinton and Kennedy as original cosponsors of the legislation.

The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (www.aagponline.org) is a national association representing and serving 2,000 geriatric psychiatrists and other late-life mental health care professionals and the field of geriatric psychiatry. The association is dedicated to promoting the mental health and well being of older people and improving the care of those with late-life mental disorders. AAGP’s mission is to enhance the knowledge base and standard of practice in geriatric psychiatry though education and research and to advocate for meeting the mental health needs of older Americans.