Advocacy
Advocacy
Priorities
Ensuring access to mental health and addiction treatment and recovery services could not be more urgent or important than at this time. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that symptoms of anxiety disorder were approximately three times higher and prevalence of depression about four times higher among adults during the second quarter of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019.
Meanwhile, overdoses have spiked during the Covid-19 pandemic with more than 40 states reporting increased opioid-related deaths, and an overall increase in overdoses of 18% between May of 2019 and 2020. At the same time, suicide rates have continued to rise, up 35% between 1999 and 2018, with early indications of additional increases in suicides more recently.
Our Covid-19 webpage is designed to help NABH members access important and applicable resources as they navigate the Covid-19 pandemic.
Removing Barriers to Care
Congress should eliminate outdated federal rules blocking access to cost-effective treatments.
Combating the SUD Crisis
Congress should increase access to substance use disorder treatment.
Expanding the Behavioral Health Workforce
Congress should expand the mental health and substance use disorder workforce.
CEO Update
CEO Update 178
HHS Announces $103 Million to Reduce Burnout and Promote Wellness in Healthcare Workforce The U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) this week announced it will award $103 million in American Rescue Plan funding for evidence-informed programs, practices, and training to retain healthcare workers, reduce burnout, and promote health and wellness among the nation’s healthcare workforce. HHS’ ...Read moreCEO Update 177
U.S. Supreme Court Allows Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers In a 5-4 vote Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it will allow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) regulation to proceed that mandates the Covid-19 vaccine for about 10.3 million workers at approximately 76,000 healthcare facilities that accept money from the Medicare ...Read moreCEO Update 176
CMS Issues Guidance on Covid-19 Vaccination Requirements for Most Medicare- and Medicaid-Certified Providers The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Dec. 29 issued guidance regarding the Interim Final Rule (IFR) regarding Covid-19 vaccination requirements for healthcare staff that the agency published in early November. In the Dec, 29 memo, CMS specified that this guidance does not ...Read moreCEO Update 175
President Biden Signs Debt Ceiling Increase, Staving Off Medicare Provider Cuts President Biden on Thursday signed legislation that permits a federal debt ceiling increase and also forestalls expected Medicare payment cuts to providers. Passed by Congress this week, the bill to raise the federal government’s borrowing limit by about $2.5 trillion—and cover its obligations into 2023—also ...Read more
The National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, are the people on the front lines of this fight…
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden
Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
