National Council for Behavioral Health

Shelley Starkey

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a proposed rule that would change the way substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records are shared under 42 CFR Part 2. Although the Trump administration does not have the authority to fully align 42 CFR Part 2 with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the administration stated that its proposal aims to “facilitate better coordination of care for substance use disorders, which will also enhance care for opioid use disorder,” according to an official fact sheet on the proposal. Meanwhile, critics expressed concern that the changes to the rule would undermine patient confidentiality and willingness to seek treatment. SAMHSA is accepting public comments on these proposed changes until October 24, 2019.

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Katiri Zuluaga

Manager, State Initiatives

Mental Health for US, of which the National Council is a founding coalition member, released survey responses from top presidential candidates on how they would improve mental health and addiction care in America, if elected. Candidates polling at one percent or higher nationally were sent an 11-question survey covering topics including suicide prevention, criminal justice reform, access to care, and addiction. Responses were received from U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.

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Malka Berro

Policy Associate

The National Council for Behavioral Health is pleased to announce this year’s legislative honorees for Hill Day 2019. Each legislator is being recognized for his or her hard work and dedicated commitment to the mental health and addiction community. The National Council will honor each legislator this year at National Council Hill Day on September 17-18 in Washington, D.C.

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Shelley Starkey

The Trump administration on Wednesday officially published a final rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that greatly expands the definition of “public charge” when considering immigrants’ applications to enter or become permanent residents of the United States. This rule has already had a chilling effect on lawfully present immigrants utilizing public assistance programs for which they are eligible, including Medicaid, for fear of being denied the chance to stay in the United States. The National Council stands strongly opposed to this rule, which will result in significant harm to the health and welfare of immigrant families.

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Michael Petruzzelli

Director, Federal Policy and Advocacy

New legislation introduced in Congress this week would expand access to telemedicine for mental health and substance use disorder treatment. The Improving Access to Remote Behavioral Health Treatment Act of 2019 (S. 2244/H.R. 4131) would amend regulations for the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 and specifically name community mental health centers and addiction treatment centers as eligible sites to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine.

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Michael Petruzzelli

Director, Federal Policy and Advocacy

On Tuesday, the House approved a short-term extension of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration in Medicaid. The legislation now heads to the White House for President Trump’s review and signature. The bill would extend the program until Friday, September 13, 2019. This extension is yet another legislative victory for the CCBHC program and one on which we will look to build momentum for a long-term extension and expansion in the fall. The National Council thanks Congress and the countless advocates whose work has expanded access to high-quality, community-based treatment through the CCBHC program.

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Rebecca Farley David, VP, Policy & Advocacy

Sara Howe, CEO, Illinois Association for Behavioral Health

The National Council for Behavioral Health Board of Directors has determined to support the bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act (H.R. 2482), which would expand access to medication-assisted treatment, the “gold standard” of addiction treatment when prescribed in conjunction with regular counseling. The National Council thanks the bill authors Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ted Budd (R-NC), Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Mike Turner (R-OH) for their work on this critical issue.

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Malka Berro

Policy Associate

Late last month, a federal judge upheld a Trump Administration regulation to allow the sale of bare-bones, short-term health plans that are exempt from critical health coverage provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The 2018 regulation, which went into effect in August that year, promotes the sale and allows for an extended duration of these short-term plans. These plans will continue to be sold in direct competition with ACA-compliant marketplace plans.

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