(April 14, 2023)
LEGISLATIVE ALERT: Help Improve Access to Mental Health!
As you may already know, the bipartisan Improving Access to Mental Health Act S. 838/H.R. 1638) was introduced in the 118th Congress by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Barrasso (R-WY) and Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01).
The legislation would:
- remove patient access barriers that Medicare beneficiaries face if they are residents of a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) by reimbursing Clinical Social Workers (CSWs) as independent Medicare Part B mental health providers.
- allow CSWs to provide and receive Medicare reimbursement for critical Health and Behavior Assessment and Intervention (HBAI) services that help Medicare beneficiaries cope with the emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial concerns associated with various medical conditions.
- increase the reimbursement rate for CSWs from 75% to 85% of the physician fee schedule.
We are seeking assistance in reaching out to:
Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA-06): Darby McQueen-Dever, Legislative Assistant, darby.mcqueen-dever@mail.house.gov
We kindly ask that this is completed within the next couple of weeks by mid-May.
Improving Access to Mental Health Act Action Alert.
(April 14, 2023)
Legislative Alert: Contact the DC Council in Support of Funding Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023!
You may be aware that there is a bill pending before the DC Council called the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023.” This bill would fill crucial gaps in our workforce by creating an MSW program at UDC and funding scholarships that would make the program free for applicants living and working in the District.
Our chapter is in support of this bill, but one of the major hurdles to getting it passed is getting it funded in this year's budget. TODAY, the DC Council Chairman has one final budget hearing on the entire budget. We are writing to ask you to contact the DC Council in support of funding this bill.
What can you do?
1. You can use the suggested language below to call or email DC Council Chairman Mendelson’s office at (202) 724-8032 or pmendelson@dccouncil.gov and ask him to include funding for the bill in the FY2024 budget.
2. You can submit (personalized) written testimony using the language below to cow@dccouncil.gov.
The budget hearing is today, but we have been advised that the hearing record will not close until April 28th, so you can submit written testimony until then.
Please see below for suggested language. We appreciate your support in this effort.
Email and Template
Email to the Chairman:
Chairman Mendelson –
I am writing as a member of the National Association of Social Workers, DC Chapter, to urge you to include funding for the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023” in the FY 2024 budget.
This bill would fill crucial gaps in our workforce by creating an MSW program at UDC and funding scholarships that would make the program fee for applicants living and working in the District.
The need for an MSW program is clear: mental health deeply impacts the health of our city, and residents want jobs in this sector. The need for scholarship funding is even clearer: we must lower the financial barrier for people of color to get into a field that needs more clinicians with cultural competency.
As of March 1, 2023, the School-Based Behavioral Health Program, which places behavioral
health clinicians at DC public and public charter schools, had 95 vacant positions.
On top of this, according to Mental Health America, DC ranks toward the bottom of the list (#40 of 51) for states with the most adults with a mental illness reporting an unmet need for mental health treatment. Almost a third of adults (32.2%) in DC with a mental illness say they have unmet mental health needs. We need to better serve these DC residents.
I’m asking you to cover the full cost of the financial plan for this bill at $6,257,103.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your title]
Written Testimony to cow@dccouncil.gov:
Please consider editing this template to include your personal observations and experiences.
My name is [insert name] and I am [insert title and your connection to the District]. I am testifying to urge you to include funding for the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023” in the FY 2024 budget.
This bill would fill crucial gaps in our workforce by creating an MSW program at UDC and funding scholarships that would make the program fee for applicants living and working in the District.
The need for an MSW program is clear: mental health deeply impacts the health of our city, and residents want jobs in this sector. The need for scholarship funding is even clearer: we must lower the financial barrier for people of color to get into a field that needs more clinicians with cultural competency.
As of March 1, 2023, the School-Based Behavioral Health Program, which places behavioral
health clinicians at DC public and public charter schools, had 95 vacant positions.
On top of this, according to Mental Health America, DC ranks toward the bottom of the list (#40 of 51) for states with the most adults with a mental illness reporting an unmet need for mental health treatment. Almost a third of adults (32.2%) in DC with a mental illness say they have unmet mental health needs. We need to better serve these DC residents.
I’m asking you to cover the full cost of the financial plan for this bill at $6,257,103 so that we can make this bill a reality in the District.