APA Advocacy Washington Update is a newsletter that highlights how APA is working to advance the discipline and practice of psychology on Capitol Hill and beyond.
January 16-22, 2022
- Strengthening the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Applications open for the Health Professional Scholarship Program
- Increasing Veterans access to care with automatic enrollment in the VA
- Urging key Senate committee leadership to vote on critical mental health legislation
- APA seeks input on two federal regulatory requests for information
January 2-8, 2022
Articles from 2021
December 2021
December 12-18, 2021
December 5-11, 2021
- Applauding the surgeon general’s December 7 advisory on ‘Protecting Youth Mental Health’
- Partnering to increase funding for health care for Native Americans
- Reducing harm of social media on children
- Strengthening educator training and preparation
December 1-4, 2021
November 2021
November 28-30, 2021
- Supporting improvements for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program
- APA Services joins forces with education, public health, and research communities to encourage swift passage of FY 2022 annual funding bills
November 7-13, 2021
- APA responds to Senate Finance Committee call for mental health policy solutions
- Advocating for psychological science at COP26
- Communicating priorities to Senate mental health policy leaders
- APA secures bipartisan introduction of Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act
- Advising the Office of the Surgeon General on initiatives to improve child mental health
- State associations, partner organizations, and APA promote key mental health parity provision in reconciliation negotiations
- Partnering to increase awareness of children’s mental health
- APA cosponsors webinar on telehealth and alcohol treatment
October 2021
October 24-30, 2021
October 17-23, 2021
- Supporting sickle cell disease Medicaid demonstration bill
- Advising Congress on Social Determinants of Health Caucus
- APA responds to federal plans to democratize artificial intelligence data and resources for US researchers
October 10-16, 2021
- Welcoming new congressional and executive branch policy fellows
- VA psychologists testify on proposed legislation focused on mental health care and improving care for women
October 3-9, 2021
September 2021
September 26-30, 2021
- Supporting legislation to fund mental health services for communities impacted by gun violence
- Working with Congress to update definitions of child abuse and neglect and mandatory reporter
- Psychological scientists rally for psychological research on Capitol Hill
September 19-25, 2021
-
Advancing children’s mental health before House subcommittee
- Collaborating with state psychological associations to push for changes in CMS’s proposed rule
September 12-18, 2021
- Working to support elder justice and social isolation programs
- Promoting behavioral science in NIH’s 2021–2025 strategic plan
- Illinois Psychological Association joins Health is Health coalition in successful effort to expand access to mental health services in Illinois
- Narrowly-focused one-size-fits-all integrated care bill introduced in Congress
- Ensuring that K-12 students experiencing a mental health crisis have access to timely support
- Collaborating with state psychology association on issues pertaining to mutual Medicaid-related advocacy priorities
- Working to expand health care, nutrition assistance, and other essential programs for immigrants
- Advancing maternal health legislation to eliminate racial disparities
- Grassroots advocacy leads to key win on student mental health
September 1-4, 2021
August 2021
August 29-31, 2021
August 22-28, 2021
August 1-7, 2021
July 2021
July 25-31, 2021
- Calling for new guidance to address equity in school discipline
- Advocating for student mental health at the APASI 2021 Education Advocacy Summit
- Advocating for federal actions to decrease student loan debt
July 18-24, 2021
- Offering recommendations on practice, science, and equity for the next iteration of the 21st Century Cures Act
- Commenting on establishment of new ARPA entity in NIH
- APA priorities on track to receive increased federal funding
July 11-17, 2021
- Bringing psychological science forward to end corporal punishment in schools
- Maintaining flexible length of study for international students
- Engaging policymakers on integrated care
July 4-10, 2021
- Partnering with House caucus on psychological science and the Future of Work
- Advocating for expanded protections for LGBTQ+ students with the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
- Supporting bipartisan legislation to improve access to crisis care services
- Using psychological science to advance equity in government-wide programs
June 2021
June 20-26, 2021
- Supporting legislation to extend and expand current flexibilities in Medicare telehealth coverage
- Supporting the Biden administration’s FY 2022 budget request for education research
June 13-19, 2021
- Providing scientific expertise to Government Accountability Office study on policing
- Using psychological science to support the American Dream and Promise Act
- Advocating for an end to corporal punishment in schools
June 6-12, 2021
- Highlighting the importance of mental health care for unaccompanied immigrant children
- APA-supported legislation for investment in research and development passes Senate
- Talking with Capitol Hill staffers about stress and trauma
- Working with Congress to address adverse childhood trauma
- APA supports Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, to serve as the assistant secretary of SAMHSA
June 1-5, 2021
May 2021
May 27, 2021
May 26, 2021
May 25, 2021
- Applauding global engagement in letters to Biden administration
- Inaugural Leadership in Science Advocacy Award presented to Allyson J. Bennett, PhD
May 21, 2021
May 20, 2021
May 12, 2021
- Bringing psychological science to the White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
- Addressing rural mental health disparities with recommendations to inform the National Institute of Mental Health research agenda
May 11, 2021
May 6, 2021
April 2021
April 29, 2021
April 28, 2021
- Working with Congress to address adverse childhood experiences
- APA issues statement in support of Extreme Risk Protection Orders at US Senate Hearing
April 27, 2021
- Celebrating Third Annual VA Psychology Recognition Week
- Providing recommendations for Senate hearing on behavioral health and policing
- Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on the workplace and offering evidence-based recommendations to the US Senate
- APA provides comments on VA suicide prevention grant program
April 21, 2021
- Influencing federal guidance on how schools can address the social and emotional well-being of students affected by the pandemic
- Continuing advocacy on Medicare reimbursement rates will be needed throughout year
- Endorsing introduction of the Mental Health for Latinos Act
April 20, 2021
- Calling on the Department of Education to issue guidance on mental health as schools reopen
- Advocating for student loan forgiveness for psychologists
- Highlighting the value of utilizing psychological science to combat racism and inequities in the scientific workforce
- Calling for more resources to address the social determinants of health
- Supporting the Immigrants’ Mental Health Act
- Advocacy training for pediatric psychologists
- Calling for stronger enforcement for mental health parity laws and continued telehealth coverage to advance health equity
April 5, 2021
- Welcoming Secretary of Defense Austin and offers suggestions on improving service delivery, prevention, and psychological research for servicemembers
- Providing recommendations to Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on mental health care for veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Endorsing bold plan to strengthen the US science and technology infrastructure
- APA partners with HFES in providing comments to the Department of Transportation on plans for autonomous vehicles
April 1, 2021
March 2021
March 22, 2021
- Advocating for NIH and NIDDK FY2022 funding increase
- Psychologists warn Congress of access cliff for patients who rely on telehealth
- APA supports Vivek Murthy, MD, to serve as surgeon general of the United States
- Working to support immigrants through the Dream Act
- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act passes US House of Representatives
March 19, 2021
March 15, 2021
March 9, 2021
- Highlighting the value of telehealth in expanding behavioral health access
- House passes the Equality Act; APA calls for swift action in the Senate
- Welcoming Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona
- Supporting investments in health systems and health equity research at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
- Boosting access to mental and behavioral health services in schools by calling for updated Medicaid billing guidance
- APA CEO welcomes Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough and outlines priorities
February 2021
February 24, 2021
- Congress reintroduces the RISE Act to provide relief to institutions of higher education, research institutions, and researchers
- Advancing behavioral science in the COVID response
- APA urges congressional leadership to advance policies providing equitable access to health care in rural America
- Collaborating with HRSA to meet mental health needs
February 17, 2021
February 10, 2021
- APA continues to fight for care for veterans with mental health conditions who were inappropriately separated from military service
- APA fights for telehealth and prescribing authority in comments to the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Empowering members to advocate for issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community
- Urging fast action on COVID-19 priorities in the 117th Congress
- Urging Congress to extend Medicare sequester moratorium
- APA endorses critical bill to fight maternal health disparities
- APA, educational research community request an increase in funding to conduct “school pulse” research
- As Biden focuses on science, psychologists look to shape administration’s agenda
January 2021
January 25, 2021
- Supporting administrative actions taken by newly-inaugurated Biden administration
- Advising the National Institute of Mental Health on new research directions to prevent Black youth suicide
- Urging Biden-Harris administration to make tele-behavioral health steps in first 100 days
January 15, 2021
January 11, 2021
- Securing HRSA funding for integrated substance use disorder training
- Securing major wins in fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill
- Advancing Medicare telemental health
- Advocating for psychology in COVID-19 relief bill
January 8, 2021
- Advising National Institute of Mental Health on mental health disparities research
- Two steps forward on cannabis research
- APA provides comments to Maternal and Child Health Bureau Strategic Plan
January 7, 2021
Articles from 2020
December 2020
December 17, 2020
December 14, 2020
- Calling on Biden administration to address Title IX and sexual misconduct in education
- APA informs efforts to advance services for children and families with special health care needs
- APA successfully advances priorities in two major military and veterans bills
- APA joins the Coalition for National Science Funding in making key policy recommendations to the Biden transition team
- APA and scientific, public health communities urge President-elect Biden to prioritize NIH research and funding
December 10, 2020
- APA comments on the draft NIH-wide COVID-19 strategic plan
- APA joins research community in urging congress to reach an agreement on FY 2021 funding and emergency COVID-19 relief
- Commemorating 50 years of alcohol research at the National Institute of Health
December 8, 2020
December 4, 2020
November 2020
Nov. 17, 2020
- APA invites applications for its 2021-22 Congressional and Executive Branch Science fellowships
- Psychological Science Agenda spotlights Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
- APA advocated successfully for appropriations language in support of research with animals
- Opposing changes to work visas for foreign psychologists
- Psychological science informs APA response to Department of Labor request for information
- APA and PREVENTS Task Force team up to provide suicide prevention webinars
Nov. 13, 2020
Nov. 2, 2020
- APA fights to reverse Texas rule that would allow social workers to turn away patients who are LGBTQ or have a disability
- Calling for an end to unnecessary privatization of COVID-19 data reporting protocols
- APA-supported mental health and suicide prevention bills signed into law
- Prioritizing COVID-19 vaccine distribution
- Psychologists receive grants to conduct research on gun violence
- APA joins diverse coalition pushing to end hunger among service members
- Opposing proposed limits to length of study for international students
October 2020
Oct. 19, 2020
- APA-supported bipartisan National Veterans Suicide Prevention Day resolution agreed to in Senate
- APA psychologist members offer webinar to support mental health during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- APA and state psychological associations engage in record-breaking effort to protect Medicare reimbursements and policies affecting psychologists
- APA calls upon the Department of Defense and Congress to address obstacles to mental health care access for military service members and their families
- Advocating for congressional action on student loan burden on psychologists during 2020 Digital Hill Day and Advocacy Summit
- APA helps drive recognition of World Mental Health Day in the House of Representatives
Oct. 16, 2020
- APA welcomes new congressional policy fellows
- APA supports congressional briefing highlighting NIDDK’s commitment to health disparities research
- Federal research leaders spotlighted in 'Psychological Science Agenda'
- APA joins coalition letter urging CMS to make Medicare telemental health services permanent
Oct. 6, 2020
- APA joins forces to launch a Friends of National Institute of Mental Health coalition
- Congress funds government through Dec. 11, averting shutdown
- APA-supported bill on improving care for incarcerated pregnant women passes House
- House passes veterans mental health care bills
- Expressing opposition to proposed changes to visas for international students
September 2020
Sept. 28, 2020
- Supporting national firearms safe storage campaign
- Expanding broadband access to support telehealth, education, and equity
Sept. 22, 2020
- Broad coalition endorses independent practice for Medicare psychologists in all settings
- Responding to Congressional inquiries following testimony before House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee
Sept. 21, 2020
- Research relief for federal science agencies
- APA priorities included in house veterans’ affairs committee legislative hearing
- Scientific community rallies for continued investment in NIH
Sept. 17, 2020
Sept. 4, 2020
- Promoting telehealth services coverage in private-sector plans
- APA recognizes veterans and service members during suicide prevention month
- Advising the National Institutes of Health on rigor and reproducibility in research with nonhuman animals
- Supporting state psychology association engagement with members of Congress in local advocacy
- Advocating for student debt relief
- Supporting prompt access to Medicaid for inmates reentering society
- Ensuring that investigations of campus sexual misconduct are reflective of psychological science
August 2020
Aug. 26, 2020
- CMS proposes Medicare payment cuts to psychologists’ services
- APA calls for comprehensive policy changes to end the US racism pandemic
- Urging the incorporation of behavioral research in strategies for COVID-19 vaccine success
- Briefing the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on the mental health needs of Latinx children
- Supporting legislation to strengthen health care systems research agency
- Monitoring non-discrimination in health care regulations
Aug. 11, 2020
- Working collaboratively to support behavioral and psychological research
- Supporting the behavioral health of K-12 students
- APA pushes Facebook to eliminate hate speech
- Supporting expanded access to health care for older minority adults in the COVID-19 pandemic
- Shaping the national drug abuse research plan
- APA urges continued focus on veterans mental health as major bill unanimously passes US Senate
- Kennedy Forum supports Medicare physician definition bill
Aug. 7, 2020
- Supporting critical education and student mental health programs with increases in House funding bill
- Securing increased funding for psychology workforce training programs
- Supporting K-12 students in response to COVID-19
- Ensuring that psychologists in public service receive full student loan benefits through the pandemic
July 2020
July 29, 2020
- Protecting confidential records of immigrant children’s mental health sessions
- APA-supported bills advance in key House committee’s first ever virtual votes
- Actively supporting DACA recipients and psychologists
- Training women leaders in psychology on effective advocacy
- Providing research and support for House resolution addressing mental health disparities
July 15, 2020
- APA supports permanent expansion of Medicare coverage of mental health services furnished via telehealth
- APA voices opposition to policy targeting international students
- APA urges Congress to invest substantially in mental and behavioral health in the next COVID-19 relief legislation
- Advocating for psychology students and borrowers impacted by COVID-19
- Working to support American Indians and Alaska Natives
July 1, 2020
- APA leadership testifies before House subcommittee on solutions to expand behavioral health access and research
- Providing psychological expertise to US Senate hearing on policing
- Working to protect psychologists from Medicare payment cuts
- Alleviating social isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic
- APA ensures psychologists have access to PPE through Amazon
- Advancing research on cannabis: Dose response and growing concerns
June 2020
June 17, 2020 (PDF, 644KB)
- Write your senators: Boost funding to reimburse COVID-related losses to researchers
- Advocating for extended telehealth flexibility
- Submitting congressional testimony on police reforms
- Improving the federal COVID-19 response in communities of color
- Preserving federal non-discrimination in health-care protections
- Supporting mental health block grant-funded crisis care services
- Calling for extension of telehealth services' expansion
- APA member appointed to new commission on safety and quality in nursing homes
June 3, 2020 (PDF, 644KB)
- Using psychology to address inequality.
- Calling for extension of telehealth policies after COVID-19 emergency.
- Cultivating congressional relationships with state psychological associations.
- Bolstering support for students with disabilities in response to COVID-19.
- Responding to the behavioral health crisis caused by the pandemic.
- Supporting nursing home legislation.
May 2020
May 20, 2020 (PDF, 207KB)
- Urging Congress to provide emergency funding for mental health.
- Ensuring telehealth coverage in ERISA health plans during the COVID-19 emergency.
- Advocating for psychology students and borrowers impacted by COVID-19.
- Requesting more support for students and educators.
- Calling for a permanent legislative fix for DACA recipients.
May 6, 2020 (PDF, 443KB)
- Integrated advocacy success: Psychologists can now provide phone-only services.
- Encouraging support for COVID-19-related research.
- Advocating for equity in internet access for students learning from home.
- Mitigating COVID-19-related learning loss with state and local leaders.
- Addressing the heightened risk of child abuse and neglect during COVID-19.
- Bolstering federal support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
April 2020
April 22, 2020 (PDF, 470KB)
- Requesting better data collection and reporting of COVID-19 health disparities.
- Bringing the social and behavioral science of pandemics to Capitol Hill.
- Seeking to prevent disability-based discrimination in coronavirus cases.
- Supporting psychologists in the public service workforce.
- Addressing housing instability and homelessness spurred by COVID-19.
- Proposing ways to enhance the behavioral and social science infrastructure.
April 8, 2020 (PDF, 194KB)
- Urging the administration to allow audio-only telemental health services for Medicare patients.
- Asking states to waive licensing restrictions in the wake of COVID-19.
- Guiding states and health providers on avoiding disability-based discrimination.
- Supporting students with disabilities.
- Shaping the NIH Strategic Plan Framework.
April 1, 2020 (PDF, 204KB)
- Advocating for psychologists, students and the public in third COVID-19 stimulus package.
- CMS further expands psychologists’ ability to provide telehealth.
- Calling on all states to lift restrictions on telehealth services.
- Gaining senator support for Medicare audio-only telehealth coverage.
March 2020
March 24, 2020 (PDF, 424KB)
- Calling for priority behavioral health measures in COVID-19 bill.
- Protecting seniors and individuals with disabilities during COVID-19.
- Advocating for psychology students, campus safety and student mental health during the COVID-19 crisis.
March 18, 2020 (PDF, 416KB)
- Ensuring Medicare patients have access to telehealth during COVID-19 emergency.
- Rallying Congressional support to fully fund critical state block grant for schools.
- Advocating for APA priorities at the National Science Foundation and Department of Justice.
March 2-6, 2020 (PDF, 656KB)
- Working with Capitol Hill to expand access to psychological services and training.
- Supporting immigrants' mental health with new legislation.
- Expanding access to intensive behavioral therapy for obesity care.
- Supporting NIH's ability to fund more science.
- Working with veterans on safe firearms storage.
February 2020
Feb. 24-28, 2020 (PDF, 247KB)
- In response to coronavirus, reducing barriers to telehealth services.
- Calling for oversight hearings to protect immigrant children.
- Supporting the essential role of research in improving teaching and learning.
- Advocating for APA’s fiscal year 2021 appropriations priorities.
Feb. 16-20, 2020 (PDF, 337KB)
- Calling for immediate halt to sharing confidential psychotherapy notes.
- Raising concerns about possible religious discrimination in care.
- Seeking to improve mental health care and discipline in schools.
Feb. 10-14, 2020 (PDF, 310KB)
- A new advocacy network to mobilize psychologists.
- Urging Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services not to impose major Medicare cuts in 2021.
- Calling for an immediate halt to sharing immigrant youths' confidential psychotherapy notes with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Putting the president’s fiscal year 2021 budget in perspective.
- Bringing psychology to new substance use disorder advisory committee.
Feb. 3-7, 2020 (PDF, 337KB)
- Advising Congress on the mental health issues associated with climate change.
- Speaking out against Medicare’s proposed cuts in reimbursement.
- Raising awareness about pediatric mental health.
- Supporting Medicare coverage of services for eating disorders.
January 2020
Jan. 27-31, 2020 (PDF, 346KB)
- Working to ease the addiction crisis.
- Raising awareness about traumatic brain injuries in military and veterans.
- Reducing barriers to fentanyl research.
- Speaking out on Supreme Court ruling that could immigrant services.
- Advancing suicide prevention research.
- Advising White House on the research environment.
Jan. 20-24, 2020 (PDF, 369KB)
- Advancing role of psychological pain management.
- Focusing on black youth suicide and mental health.
- Increasing access to whole-person care.
- Improving care for veterans with serious mental illness.
Jan. 13-17, 2020 (359KB)
- Statement on regulatory burden for cannabis researchers.
- Expanding early childhood mental health services.
- Sharing suicide prevention priorities.
- Campaigning to increase access to mental health services.
- Advocating for regulatory changes.
- Welcoming new members of APA Advocacy Coordinating Committee.
Jan. 6-10, 2020 (PDF, 357KB)
- APA's 2020 advocacy priorities.
- Calling for more basic and clinical psychological research.
- Talking with Sen. Gillibrand about health confidentiality.
- Hand-delivering APA report on psychology of immigration to every member of Congress.
- Addressing rural mental health and suicide prevention with Senate committee.
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