Federal News & Issues

Jul 29, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 29, 2021 – The American Psychiatric Association applauds today’s House passage of significant funding increases for key mental health and substance use disorder programs included in the FY 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bills.

Importantly, the legislation recognizes the severity of the mental health and substance use challenges our nation is facing and invests significant new resources to meet them. The bill boosts funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) by nearly 50% and increases funding for important research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including research on health care disparities and addiction. It also...

Jul 26, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 26, 2021 – Due to the recent COVID-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective vaccines, our health care organizations and societies advocate that all health care employers require their workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all health care workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and well-being.

Because of highly contagious variants, including the Delta variant, and significant numbers of unvaccinated people, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are once again rising throughout the United States.¹ Vaccination is the primary way to put the pandemic behind us and avoid the return of stringent public health...