John Fetterman was open about his depression. Now he wants to create a national mental health commission

Sen. John Fetterman, who has been open about his struggle with depression, wants to create a federal commission focused on mental health.

Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, introduced a bill last week with Sen. Tina Smith (D., Minn..) to create the commission, which would provide policy recommendations to Congress and the president about improving access and affordability of mental health care.

The commission would produce reports each year. In its first year, it would study coverage of mental health services under federal health plans; reimbursement rates for mental health care services; and workforce challenges in the mental health field.

“Mental health challenges impact people all across Pennsylvania and the country — from our reddest counties to our bluest, from our biggest cities to our smallest towns,” Fetterman said. “I’m committed to ensuring that everyone suffering from mental health challenges has access to the same resources and treatment that I did. This bill will help make that the reality.”

He said in a CNN interview he wants mental health to be viewed as part of health as a whole, and not separated from physical health.

Fetterman faced a battle against severe depression early on in the first year of his term. He checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February 2023 and stayed there for six weeks.

“Before I sought help for my depression, I was the biggest cynic — but it truly worked,” Fetterman said.

» READ MORE: ‘So grateful’: Inside John Fetterman’s hopeful first week back in the Senate after his treatment for depression

His stay was reportedly longer than it would have been because doctors were working on his medication balance. The senator had suffered a stroke during his campaign less than a year earlier.

While he was worried his decision to openly seek help would damage his career, he was largely applauded by colleagues despite mental health often being stigmatized. But he continued to face close scrutiny over his health.

Smith, his cosponsor, has also spoken publicly about her struggle with depression. In 2019, she spoke about suffering from depression as a teenager and in her 30s when advocating for more mental health federal funding. She published an essay in 2023 to revisit the topic while Fetterman was facing his struggle.

Both senators are members of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus. Caucuses are informal groups that are formed to discuss mutual issues of interest and potentially work on policy research or planning together. Committees are part of the legislative process, and commissions serve as advisory bodies.

The proposed commission has the support of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Children’s Hospital Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.