Urge Your Senators To Cosponsor The Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010 (S. 3709)

Legislation introduced in the Senate by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), The Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010 (S. 3709), would extend financial incentives for adopting health information technology including electronic health records to mental health and addiction treatment providers and facilities. Establishing an interoperable system of electronic health information is critical to encouraging greater care coordination among mental health, primary and other health care providers as well as increased engagement of consumers in managing their own care. Both of these goals are key to improving treatment outcomes and overall health.

By extending financial incentives to behavioral health providers and facilities, S. 3709 would enable behavioral health providers and facilities to engage in the electronic exchange of health information and improve the health and safety of individuals in need of behavioral health services.

It is critical that you tell your Senators to cosponsor S. 3709. In order to improve care coordination and overall quality of care, mental health and addiction treatment providers must be encouraged to implement HIT and engage in the appropriate, privacy-protected exchange of electronic health information.

TAKE ACTION

Tell Your Senators: Protect Prevention and Public Health Funding!

Critical Vote Expected As Early As Tuesday, September 14

We urge you to contact your Senators TODAY and tell them to oppose all attempts to use the Prevention and Public Health Fund (Fund) as an offset, including an amendment that is expected to be offered as early as Tuesday, September 14, by Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) to the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act.

The creation this year of the Fund as part of the Affordable Care Act marked an historic investment Congress in much-needed preventive services, community level prevention and public health. The Fund is urgently needed to address the many emerging health threats our country faces and the persistent chronic disease rates, including behavioral health conditions, which we must begin to control.

But this critical funding is in jeopardy even before it has a chance to reach its goal of expanding and sustaining investment in prevention and public health programs.

Sen. Johanns’ amendment would use the Fund as an offset to the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act, which the Senate will consider tomorrow. If passed, the amendment would eliminate the Fund and mark a severe blow to efforts to transform our health system and promote healthier lives.

It is critical that you tell your Senator to protect this investment in public health and VOTE NO on JOHANNS AMENDMENT!

Mental Health Parity Act May Affect Your Medical Benefits

By Tammy Worth, Special to The Los Angeles Times

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, by some estimates, could affect the health coverage of approximately 113 million Americans. Exactly how it will affect them, though, will vary widely.

The purpose of the law, which went into effect in July, is to create equal coverage between medical/surgical services and mental health-care services. The legislation requires group insurance plans to offer the same deductibles, co-payments, frequency of treatments and days of outpatient services. The act does not mandate mental health coverage, just equality if it is offered by an employer.

Other provisions of the bill require out-of-network coverage for mental health services, parity of coverage of medical and mental health medications, and if someone is denied coverage of a mental health service that is deemed medically unnecessary by the insurer, patients have the right to find out why.

For the full story go HERE

Curt White and MHAV in Richmond Magazine

Curt White, Director of IT Mental Health Education at MHAV, was featured in an article about college student mental health in the August issue of Richmond Magazine. The article features the many barriers that mental health consumers face in higher education, as well as methods through which these barriers can be overcome. In particular, the stigma surrounding mental health conditions can be especially problematic during the college experience.

See the full article HERE

Parity and Health Care Reform WEBINAR

Important Changes for Behavioral Health
Health Care Reform is anything but over. Most of the details of how new health care legislation will actually be implemented are still being worked out and YOU can have a voice in this process.

View the webinar HERE
Download the webinar video HERE













































Learn how the Affordable Care Act will affect mental health and substance use treatment and services. download PDF HERE

Behavioral Health Information Technology Bill Gains Sponsors

One of the key issues that advocates raised with federal legislators during Mental Health America’s recent Hill Lobby Day was support for legislation to extend health information technology assistance eligibility to behavioral health, mental health, and substance abuse professionals and facilities (H.R. 5040). The work of advocates is paying off. Since the Conference, 24 House members have signed onto the bill. The full text of the legislation and current list of cosponsors can be found here. If your House member has not signed on, please contact them and urge they do so.

H.R.5040
Title: Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010
Sponsor: Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] (introduced 4/15/2010) Cosponsors (48)
Related Bills: H.R.5025

SUMMARY:
Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the definition of "health care provider" for purposes of health information technology provisions to include a behavioral or mental health professional, a substance abuse professional, a psychiatric hospital, a behavioral and mental health clinic, and a substance abuse treatment facility.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, to award grants to eligible entities to: (1) facilitate the purchase of health information technology; (2) enhance the use of such technology, including covering costs associated with upgrading such technology in order to meet the criteria required to become a certified electronic health record (EHR) technology; (3) train personnel in the use of such technology; (4) improve the secure electronic exchange of health information among behavioral and mental health professionals, substance abuse professionals, and other health care providers; (5) improve such technology for adaptation to community-based behavioral health settings; (6) assist with the implementation of telemedicine, including facilitation of distance clinical consultations in rural and underserved areas; and (7) collaborate and integrate with health information technology regional extension centers.

Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include qualified clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric hospitals, mental health treatment facilities, and substance abuse treatment facilities within the health professionals, hospitals, and Medicaid providers eligible for incentive payments for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology.

Psychiatric Advance Directive Training at UVA

A group of Virginia's most respected authorities on Psychiatric Advance Directives held a training at Region Ten Community Service Board Conference Center June 10-11. Representatives from numerous Virginia mental health organizations and other interested stakeholders attended. Dr. Bonnie and his Colleagues unveiled the latest version of their Psychiatric Advance Directive form. The Virginia Hospital Association and many other stake holders were actively engaged in the creation of this form, making it the most inclusive and widely recognized PAD form in Virginia. You can download this form HERE, or you can view it online at our website HERE. Online video coverage of the entire training is forthcoming on our website.