In the Public Interest
Government Relations Update
March 2009
Public Interest Government Relations Office (PI-GRO) Announces New Policy Resources for Health Care Reform
PI-GRO believes that health care reform provides a critical opportunity to ensure that our nation has the appropriate infrastructure to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of individuals across the lifespan.
PI-GRO worked diligently over the last several months, in collaboration with other APA Directorates, to develop important legislative resources that articulate and reflect APA’s policy recommendations on this critical national issue. In addition to the APA Health Care Reform Priorities, PI-GRO took the lead in developing additional Health Care Reform materials on Integrated Health Care; Disease Prevention, Health Promotion, and Wellness; and Disparities in Mental Health Status and Mental Health Care. Furthermore, PI-GRO worked closely with the Education Government Relations Office in developing resources regarding priorities impacting Health Professions Training and Education.
The Economic Stimulus Package
APA engaged on multiple fronts during consideration of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, with PI-GRO taking a lead role on outreach to key congressional leaders and members of the conference committee.
During consideration of the economic stimulus package, PI-GRO strongly advocated on behalf of longstanding priorities related to psychology and special populations, including:
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Prevention and Wellness: PI-GRO collaborated with coalition partners to save language related to prevention and wellness. At final passage, the bill contained $1 billion for prevention and wellness to support evidence-based clinical and community-based prevention and wellness strategies, including $300 million for immunizations, $650 million for community prevention programs, and $50 million for reducing health care associated infections. In addition, $500 million was added for bolstering the health and public health workforce, which is intended to save or create 20,000 public health jobs, including helping to restore some of the 11,000 public health workers that have already loss their jobs.
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Children, Youth, and Families: In coalition with several organizations, PI-GRO successfully advocated for $2 billion in new funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and $2.1 billion in new funding for Head Start in the economic stimulus bill. In addition, several other provisions in the package will serve the interests low-income children and families, including a provision that allows families to begin qualifying for the Child Tax Credit with every dollar earned over $3,000.
Additional highlights from the stimulus package related to APA’s Public Interest Government Relations Office’s priorities include:
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): $13 billion for Education for the Disadvantaged to carry out Title I of ESEA, with $3 billion targeted to school improvement;
- Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP): $87 billion for FMAP in order to increase the federal share of Medicaid expenditures to help states avoid cutting eligibility and services for beneficiaries;
- Foster Care: Inclusion of a temporary increase of an estimated $1 billion for foster care payments to States, including an increase of 6.2 percent for the Medicaid matching rate to extend to children in foster care;
- Homelessness Prevention Fund: $1.5 billion to provide assistance to families who may become homeless due to the economic crisis;
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): $12.2 billion for special education, including $11.3 billion specifically designated for programs for school- and preschool-age children with disabilities. Formula grants under IDEA Part C to help States serve children with disabilities and special needs age two and younger receives $500 million in the stimulus bill. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires States to refer to Part C-funded early intervention services all children under age 3 involved in a substantiated case of abuse or neglect;
- Indian Health Service: $85 million designated for Heath Information Technology infrastructure development and deployment; $415 million for Indian Health Facilities, including specific amounts for maintenance and improvement, sanitation facilities construction, health care facilities construction, and equipment;
- National School Lunch Program: $100 million for equipment grants;
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC): $500 million for WIC, including $400 million for reserve funds to cover increased participation or increased food costs;
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) at $2.5 billion in the House bill and $3 billion in the Senate’s are set at $3 billion in the conferees’ report; and
- Violence Against Women: $225 million, including $175 million for the Formula Assistance Program and $50 million for the transitional housing assistance grants.
Child Abuse
On February 23, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 911, the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Treatment Programs for Teens Act of 2009, a bill that represents long-standing priorities for PI-GRO and includes many recommendations proposed by APA members.
On February 23, the House of Representatives approved the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2009,legislationrequiring much-needed standards and enforcement provisions to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect at certain residential treatment facilities. The bill, which has been a priority for APA for many years, was approved overwhelmingly by the House Committee on Education and Labor before proceeding to the full House vote. APA members were involved in drafting this critical legislation that would help ensure the safety and well-being of all children. Some of the bill’s provisions include dissemination of information about programs and ensuring program compliance, including: a public-access website with information for parents and others about individual programs and their compliance with the requirements; a national toll-free hotline to receive complaints of child abuse and neglect at covered programs; mandatory telephone access for each child at a covered program; the establishment of minimum standards to be met by covered programs to ensure the safety of children in their care, including prohibitions on techniques or practices that involve withholding of essential food, clothing, shelter, or medical care necessary to maintain physical and mental health, and general safety; and unannounced site inspections and on-going reviews of compliance. PI-GRO will work to ensure passage of this important legislation in the Senate.
Geriatric Health Professions and Training
Since the last edition of In the Public Interest, PI-GRO and Education GRO have been working to secure critical legislative language within legislation related to educational and training opportunities in geriatrics and long-term care for licensed health professionals, direct care workers, and family caregivers.
PI-GRO and Education GRO recently worked with Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) to successfully include key legislative provisions in S. 245 and H.R. 468, the Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act. Specifically, language advanced by APA would expand existing federal law to include psychologists among the health care disciplines, as well as recognize graduate programs in psychology as eligible for essential federal geriatric education and training opportunities. In addition, this legislation would authorize a study focused on geriatric mental health workforce needs. PI-GRO and Education GRO continue to work with congressional sponsors to ensure that these legislative proposals are included in the ongoing Health Care Reform debate.
LGBT Concerns
PI-GRO continues to advocate on behalf of LGBT persons, most recently by advancing the need to eliminate LGBT health disparities and new legal protections for binational same-sex couples.
PI-GRO continues to work with LGBT health coalitions to ensure that the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons are fully addressed and embraced in Health Care Reform initiatives. In particular, APA was recently added to the list of signatories for the National Coalition for LGBT Health’s “Guiding Principles for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Inclusion in Healthcare Reform,” a document outlining a comprehensive approach to eliminating health disparities in the LGBT communities via comprehensive Health Care Reform.
In addition, PI GRO staff is advocating for legislative activities aimed at swift passage of the Uniting American Families Act of 2009 (H.R. 1024/S. 424), introduced by Representative Nadler (D-NY) and Sen. Leahy (D-VT), respectively. This legislation would grant binational same-sex couples equal treatment under immigration laws by allowing them to sponsor their partner for immigration purposes.
UPDATE:
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
In the last edition of In the Public Interest, APA reported on PI-GRO and Practice Government Relations efforts related to SCHIP. President Obama signed SCHIP reauthorization into law on February 4, 2009. The final version of this legislation included APA priorities related to coverage for legal immigrant children and pregnant women.
GET INVOLVED IN ADVOCACY!
We invite you to take part of our Public Policy Advocacy Network (PPAN) by visiting us at http://www.apa.org/ppo/ppan/homepage.html. Through PPAN, you can sign up for our timely action alerts and stay informed about (and involved in) federal policy. In addition, if you are interested in becoming involved in PI-GRO’S legislative and regulatory initiatives, please contact our office at 202.336.6166.
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