• CMS Letter Clarifying 2007 SCHIP Directive
• Senate Passes Historic Second Chance Act

• Issue Brief: Federal Economic Stimulus Payment 

• FY09 President's budget request: impact on federal funding for mental health and drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and funding
• Senate Approves Amendment that Would Place a Moratorium on CMS's Case Management Rule 
• Chart of current CMS regulations
• CMS clarification on tamper-resistant prescription pads
• Community Mental Health Services Improvement Act introduced in the House
• Hill Day is June 18, 2008: Make your reservation today
• National Council issue brief: High risk insurance pools
• Get the latest mental health and addictions policy news in the Public Policy Update newsletter

The National Council promotes a provider-focused public policy and legislative agenda that urges government leaders to improve and strengthen mental health and addictions treatment by acting to:

• Promote access to high-quality, cost-effective community-based treatment and supports.
• Assure adequate resources to meet mental health and addictions treatment needs through necessary increases in Medicaid and Medicare, SCHIP, and federal appropriations and grants.
• Ensure "parity" by bringing mental health and addictions treatment benefits more in line with coverage for general healthcare.
• Further develop the capacity of the nation's community-based mental health and addictions treatment system to maximize its contributions to taxpayers and our communities.
• Promote increased public understanding of the nature and science of mental illness and addictions.

How We Work

The National Council's public policy initiatives combine the work of our own policy experts and analysts with organized grassroots and "grasstops" response that translates providers' power into effective advocacy.

The National Council

• Monitors and responds to the latest federal policy developments to ensure fair consideration of behavioral healthcare providers' perspectives and needs.
• Champions federal legislation that helps providers more effectively serve local communities.
• Collaborates with other national mental health and addictions associations to advocate on issues of common interest.
• Mobilizes grassroots and grasstops action through Action Alerts, an annual Hill Day, and strategic collaborations with legislators and federal agencies.
• Supports state-level advocacy by working closely with provider associations in every state and sharing legislative precedents, data, and relevant research.
• Informs and strengthens advocacy through a weekly Public Policy Update e-newsletter, a monthly State Policy Focus e-newsletter, and timely policy resources such as issue briefs and fact sheets.

Learn how you can get involved in influencing local, state, and federal policy that impacts behavioral health.