Federal News & Issues

Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) Statement on Personal Protective Equipment

With more than 800,000 physicians across 45 specialties, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) strongly urges action to ensure safer working conditions for physicians and other healthcare professionals on the frontline of direct patient care.

CMSS and its member societies believe that adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) should be a fundamental expectation for all frontline healthcare professionals:

CMSS and its member societies urge federal, state and local authorities to ensure an adequate supply and distribution of PPE for every frontline healthcare professional in the United States. Physicians and other healthcare professionals can and should expect their institutions to provide appropriate means to limit occupational exposure. Physicians and other healthcare professionals should be allowed to bring...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Apr 2, 2020

Joint Statement from the National Council for Behavioral Health, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health America and American Psychiatric Association

A mental health coalition today urged the federal government to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to all behavioral health care professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter, signed by The National Council for Behavioral Health, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mental Health America (MHA) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that the lack of PPE is putting behavioral health care workers at risk.

The level of anxiety among Americans continues to rise due to concerns over risks associated with COVID-19. While some people struggle to cope with the isolation caused by lockdowns and restrictions on...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Apr 1, 2020

APA Praises Mental Health Provisions in COVID-19 Stimulus Aid Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) a $2 trillion stimulus aid package to provide fiscal relief for Americans and businesses in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill, which passed the Senate Wednesday, includes many provisions supported by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that will enable health care professionals and communities to better respond to the pandemic, including some that will bolster mental health care.

“You can’t have a healthy economy without healthy people—and that includes mental health,” said APA President Bruce Schwartz, M.D. “This stimulus bill will strengthen our ability to help the millions of Americans with existing mental illnesses or substance use disorders, and more with...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Mar 27, 2020

New Poll: COVID-19 Impacting Mental Well-Being: Americans Feeling Anxious, Especially for Loved Ones; Older Adults are Less Anxious

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nearly half of Americans (48%) are anxious about the possibility of getting coronavirus, COVID-19, and nearly four in ten Americans (40%) are anxious about becoming seriously ill or dying from coronavirus, but far more Americans (62%) are anxious about the possibility of family and loved ones getting coronavirus. This is according to a new national poll released today by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

More than one-third of Americans (36%) say coronavirus is having a serious impact on their mental health and most (59%) feel coronavirus is having a serious impact on their day-to-day lives. Most adults are concerned that the coronavirus will have a serious negative impact on their finances (57%) and almost half are worried about running out of food, medicine, and/or supplies. Two-...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Mar 25, 2020

APA Pledges Continued Support for Affordable Care Act on its 10th Anniversary

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ten years ago today, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. In addition to its main objective of expanding health insurance coverage to 30 million Americans, the reform package also included a number of elements related to psychiatric care, which have ultimately increased access to treatment for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorder.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) supported the ACA at the time and has monitored its implementation, particularly as it pertains to ensuring mental health and substance use services remain a part of the essential health benefits and that these benefits are provided parity protections offered as part of the health insurance exchanges established by the law. As legal challenges to...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Mar 23, 2020

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