Public Policy Update - Spring 2012

On June 25-26, 2012, PRA partnered with the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and Mental Health America for a first-ever joint Hill Day 2012. More than 550 participants joined us in Washington, DC to educate Members of Congress and their staff on important issues facing PRA members and the community we serve. Our top issues for Hill Day 2012 were:

Preserve Funding for SAMHSA in the 2013 Budget
Funding for mental health and addiction services through SAMHSA is at risk in the 2013 budget sequester set to begin in January 2013. Proposed cuts would be in addition to more than $4 billion that states have cut from mental health in the past three years and represent the largest reduction to mental health spending since the 1970s. Cutting treatment services would limit our ability to keep people out of more expensive emergency rooms and prisons, provide integrated behavioral and physical health services to people with mental illness, prevent suicides, and provide services to emotionally disturbed children.

Co-sponsor the Excellence in Mental Health Act (S.2257)
Demand for mental health services is on the rise along with increasing expectations for provider accountability for health outcomes. The Excellence in Mental Health Act would create Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers (FQBHCs) to help meet the increased demand and expectations. FQBHCs would be voluntary, meet clearly-defined national standards, and receive reimbursement for the cost of providing services to an increasing population in need of mental health services and coordinated care.

Co-sponsor the Behavioral Health Information Technology Act (S. 539)
Current federal HIT funding initiatives do not include CBHOs in the definition of “eligible providers” representing a serious oversight in moving towards goals of increasingly efficient and streamlined medical information technology and the adoption of electronic health records. S. 539 extends federal HIT incentive payments to CBHOs and certain behavioral health providers, and expands the list of eligible professionals to include clinical psychologists and clinical social workers.

Co-sponsor the Mental Health in Schools Act
Healthier students learn and perform better, and good mental health is no exception to that rule. H.R. 751 authorizes competitive grants directly to local school districts to assist in early interventions and referrals for treatment, it provides supports for students and their families, and it supports staff training that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.

Thanks to the PRA Public Policy Committee for their leadership and to everyone who came to Washington DC for Hill Day 2012. If you were not able to join us in DC this year – be sure to watch your email for information on Hill Day 2013 and plan to make this important trip.