On September 19, 2023, APA Services led over 40 coalition members in a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter (PDF, 122KB)opens in new window in support of the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act (S.1378opens in new window). The legislation, which was introduced by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), will expand access to mental health and substance use disorder services by integrating behavioral health care in primary settings. Crucially, the legislation supports wider adoption of integrated care models, including the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model in primary care settings.
“We know from both a wealth of research and psychologists' daily experiences that the Primary Care Behavioral Health model improves access to care and treatment outcomes, and can reduce overall costs,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, in a press release from Senator Cortez Masto’s officeopens in new window at the introduction of this legislation. “APA Services applauds Senators Cortez Masto and Cornyn for introducing this important legislation.”
APA Services was instrumental in securing broad support for the letter from MHLG, a coalition of national organizations representing consumers, family members, mental health and addiction providers, advocates, and other stakeholdersopens in new window. This coalition represents the wide swath of stakeholders that are committed to behavioral health integration (BHI) utilizing all models that are evidence based, including the PCBH model. The letter will be helpful in securing cosponsors for S.1378 by demonstrating the broad support for an inclusive approach to BHI, and can also be helpful in work with state legislatures in showing the mental health community’s support for a model-agnostic approach—including both the PCBH and collaborative care models—in advancing integrated primary and behavioral healthcare.
APA Services, along with many organizations on this letter, are working to have a companion bill introduced in the House by Representatives Michelle Steel (R-California) and Dan Kildee (D-Michigan). The House bill will be identical to S.1378 in temporarily boosting payment rates for Medicare BHI service codes and requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide technical assistance to primary care practices for implementing BHI services, defined as including the Collaborative Care model, the PCBH model, and other models identified by the secretary.
For more information, contact Julio C Abreu.