The National Association for Behavioral Health
Legislative Action
The NABH is based in Washington DC to be close to national lawmaking activities and regulatory actions. Members benefit from legislative and regulatory advocacy in our nation's capital by our Washington DC government affairs team promotion of our agenda.
The NABH is concerned with how legislation affects our ability to provide services. An effective way to overcome the many complex challenges that face behavioral health providers and staff is to educate our policy-makers and regulators in the United State so they understand how their policy decisions affect their communities and their citizens healthcare through our services.
The NABH is concerned with how legislation affects our ability to provide services. An effective way to overcome the many complex challenges that face behavioral health providers and staff is to educate our policy-makers and regulators in the United State so they understand how their policy decisions affect their communities and their citizens healthcare through our services.
The Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2009
The Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2009 was introduced in the House and Senate to address several issues concerning the behavioral health community. The legislation has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce and House Ways and Means committees. If passed, will be attached to their version of the health care reform package. The Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2009 addresses two main issues:
Meals and Transportation.
Ø Patients come to our facilities 5-6 days per week for 4-6 hours daily to receive counseling services. These folks often have no means of transportation and rely on CMHC’s to pick them and drop them off every day.
Ø Given the integral nature of providing food and transportation to a vulnerable patient population, this provides that nutritional planning, meals, and transportation should be covered services in the partial hospitalization program.
Behavioral Health Advisory Commission and Conditions of Participation.
Ø Establishes a Behavioral Health Advisory Committee at the Department of Health and Human Services by 2011 to address:
o Discrimination against the chronically mentally ill, elderly, and veterans as it relates
to receiving treatment for mental illness and;
o Adoption of Conditions of Participation for providers of partial hospitalization services by
2012.
Meals and Transportation.
Ø Patients come to our facilities 5-6 days per week for 4-6 hours daily to receive counseling services. These folks often have no means of transportation and rely on CMHC’s to pick them and drop them off every day.
Behavioral Health Advisory Commission and Conditions of Participation.
Ø Establishes a Behavioral Health Advisory Committee at the Department of Health and Human Services by 2011 to address:
o Discrimination against the chronically mentally ill, elderly, and veterans as it relates
to receiving treatment for mental illness and;
o Adoption of Conditions of Participation for providers of partial hospitalization services by
2012.
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