Jun 23, 2022
Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7666, the “Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well Being Act. NAATP is appreciative of the action taken by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to develop this bi-partisan legislation as well as the Representatives who supported the bill on the House Floor.
While this bill does not solve all the issues regarding access to care for SUD, it does contain some important steps forward, while at the same time reauthorizing and increasing funding for many SAMHSA programs and grants.
The legislation also promotes compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which is a NAATP priority issue. Specifically, the bill includes:
- activities to coordinate federal efforts related to behavioral health;
- maternal mental health and substance use disorders;
- peer-supported mental health services;
- best practices for a crisis response continuum of care;
- identification and treatment of eating disorders;
- prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders for tribal populations;
- compliance with federal mental health parity requirements, including by self-funded, nonfederal insurance plans; and
- integration of behavioral health in primary care settings.
This bill will now be considered by the Senate which is in the process of developing a Senate version to address SUD and mental health issues.
NAATP appreciates the bi-partisan approach to dealing with this critical health issue and will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to promote access to care for all Americans.
