Federal News & Issues

APA Applauds Mental Health Funding in Federal Spending Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week Congress passed a $1.4 trillion fiscal year 2020 spending bill that includes several provisions that will fund medical research and treatment programs for people with mental illness and substance use disorders (SUD).

Among these provisions were:

  • Significant resources to combat the opioid epidemic, including $1.5 billion for state opioid response grants and $800 million for research. The bill also includes $12 million in new funding for a student-loan repayment program for the SUD workforce and $26.7 million in new funding to establish grants to train professionals to provide treatment for mental illness and SUD, both administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
  • $5.9 billion for SAMHSA, including $14 million for the Minority...
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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 19, 2019

American Psychiatric Association To Offer Solutions at White House Mental Health Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – American Psychiatric Association (APA) President Bruce Schwartz, M.D., will be among many mental health advocates and others attending a White House Summit on Transforming Mental Health Treatment tomorrow, Dec. 19.

The summit will cover a wide range of topics, during which Dr. Schwartz will put forth the APA’s positions on several key mental health issues, including:

  • Improving Access to Treatment and Services for People with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: APA urges policymakers to take steps to address the lack of available services for people with mental health and substance use issues, including shortages of hospital beds and workforce. To address the workforce needs we need to implement effective new and innovative health care delivery models such as...
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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 18, 2019

APA Statement on Passage of House Prescription Drug Cost Lowering Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the wake of the House passage today of H.R. 3, The Lower Drug Costs Now Act, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) announced its support for several provisions in the bill that benefit mental health care.

In addition to efforts that limit out-of-pocket costs for our patients, APA appreciates the House’s attention in H.R. 3 to additional investments to stem the opioid epidemic, fund Community Health Centers, increase resources devoted to the Precision Medicine Initiative and the BRAIN Initiative of the National Institutes of Health, boost financial support to help low income seniors afford their prescription drugs, and provide a modest two-year update for physicians’ services.

 “These provisions will help us address the opioid epidemic and fund important research that will...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 12, 2019

New Study Finds a Shortage of Therapists to Treat Children with Autism; Significant Variation by Region

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The supply of certified applied behavior analysis (ABA) providers is insufficient to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in nearly every state, according to a study published online today in Psychiatric Services. The new study found there is substantial variation across states and regions—for instance, the per capita supply of certified ABA providers is substantially higher in the Northeast than in any other region.

The rising prevalence of ASD underscores the importance of access to evidence-based interventions such as ABA. An estimated one in 59 children had ASD in 2014, up from one in 125 a decade earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

ABA uses behavioral learning principles to help children with ASD increase positive behaviors and...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 11, 2019

The Path Forward for Mental Health and Substance Use Names Eight Regions to Spearhead Employer Efforts to Improve Access to Effective Care

WASHINGTON – The national steering committee for The Path Forward for Mental Health and Substance Use – National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) Center for Workplace Mental Health and Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute – has selected eight locations across the nation to implement its multi-stakeholder transformative initiative.

Launched last month, The Path Forward has embarked on a five-year plan to execute a first-of-its-kind private sector approach to improve mental health and substance use care for Americans across the nation. As a key part of the initiative, the Regional Employer...

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Author: mbourdase - Published: Dec 11, 2019

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