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Mental and behavioral health

APA CEO welcomes mental health leaders in Congress

At a reception for members of the Bipartisan House and Senate Mental Health Caucuses, APA’s CEO highlights the importance of population health, workforce development, and federally funded psychological research

Date created: June 2, 2025 2 min read
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American Psychological Association. (2025, June 4). APA CEO welcomes mental health leaders in Congress. https://www.apaservices.org/advocacy/news/ceo-welcomes-mental-health-leaders

On May 21, APA Services cosponsored a reception on Capitol Hill to recognize the commitment and leadership of the Congressional Bipartisan Mental Health Caucusopens in new window and the Bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucusopens in new window. The House caucus is led by Representatives Andrea Salinas (D–Oregon), Don Bacon (R–Nebraska), Don Beyer (D–Virginia), and Tony Gonzales (R–Texas).  The Senate Caucus is led by Senators Alex Padilla (D–California), Thom Tillis (R–North Carolina), Tina Smith (D–Minnesota), and Joni Ernst (R–Iowa). 

APA CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, and Representative Andrea Salinas (D–Oregon) standing side by side for a photo.

APA CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, with Representative Andrea Salinas (D–Oregon)

APA’s CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, delivered remarks before an audience of members of Congress, their staff and mental and behavioral health advocates. His remarks emphasized the importance of:

  • enabling a population-based approach to mental health treatment, which treats the health, safety, and well-being of entire populations, including individuals within these populations;
  • training an adequate workforce of clinical professionals to treat patients in need, as well as support models of integrating mental health treatment in primary care and other local treatment settings;
  • supporting research into the causes of mental health and substance use disorders, as well as the development of new, evidence-based forms of treatment; and
  • encouraging the development of new and emerging technology that can be used in a responsible, science-based, and ethical manner to augment the reach of behavioral health clinicians and improve clinical efficiencies.

The reception was hosted in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Children’s Hospital Association, Inseparable, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. This event came on the heels of a letter from the CEO Alliance on Mental Healthopens in new window, a group of the chief executive officers of 15 of our country’s leading mental health organizations, including APA, outlining their vision for a mental health system that focuses on whole person health. 

Champions are needed for mental health on Capitol Hill now more than ever, and the reception was a stark reminder of the work that has been done and the work that has yet to be done. APA Services looks forward to working with the two bipartisan Mental Health Caucuses to address the mental health, suicide and addiction crises facing the nation.

For more information, contact Julio Abreu.

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