Legislation

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NASMHPD's key initiative is advocating to government leaders to improve behavioral health services by promoting access to high-quality services and reforming our nation's healthcare delivery system. Our public policy staff ensures that we advocate for key federal legislation and regulations.

 

 

Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (MIOTCRA), P.L. 108-732, 118 STATS 2327-2336 , passed unanimously by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush on October 30, 2004. MIOTCRA provides grant funding to states/territories, local jurisdictions and organizations to facilitate programs that provide collaboration among criminal justice and behavioral health systems to ensure access to treatment and services for adults or juveniles with a mental illness or co-occurring addiction disorders who are in the criminal justice systems. The grants have funded a variety of best practices programs, such as mental health courts and crisis intervention teams.

H.R. 1628 - Revised September 25, 2017

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

H.R. 6082

21st Centuries Cures Act

H.R. 6 SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act - Section by Section

Under the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 34), several provisions focus on increasing suicide prevention resources including: reauthorizing the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act to prevent youth suicide; codifying the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline into law; establishing new grant funding to implement suicide prevention and intervention programs for adults 25 years and older; prioritizing American Indians and Alaska Native youth within suicide prevention programs; and strengthening community crisis response systems. The budget for 2019 increased funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (S. 1963) was introduced on October 28, 2009 and signed into law ( P.L.111-163 ) on May 5, 2010. Provisions include: support for caregivers of veterans, such as training, counseling, supportive services and living stipends; expansion of services for women veterans; improvement of services to rural veterans by recruiting and retaining high quality healthcare providers, providing travel reimbursement to veterans receiving treatment at VA facilities, and expanding the VA's telehealth program; improvement of mental health care by providing readjustment counseling and a study on veteran suicides; and improving and increasing services for homeless veterans.

Sponsor : Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI)

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 3230; P. Law 113-146) was signed into law August 7, 2014. The law allows veterans to seek medical care from private healthcare providers through the use of a “Veterans Choice Card”. Veterans who were eligible for services as of August 1, 2014 or engaged in active service in a war zone on that date are eligible to receive outside care if they have been on a waiting list for 30 days or more; live more than 40 miles from a VA facility; would have to travel more than 20 miles by air, boat, or ferry to reach a facility; or reside in a state without a VA facility that provides hospital care, emergency services, or surgical services. Providers must be Medicare or DOD-participating and are reimbursed at Medicare rates, except in “highly rural” areas when they may be paid more.

Sponsor: Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)