Policy Priorities
In collaboration with our members, partner organizations, and the mental health and substance use treatment advocacy community, the National Council works to ensure equitable access to high-quality mental health and substance use treatment services, build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations, and promote a greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care.
Our Policy Team leads engagement with government officials and representatives, creates legislative and regulatory analysis, and drives coalition building within the advocacy community that strengthens our collective voice.
We fight to advance policies that:
Strengthen the mental health and substance use workforce
We advocate for initiatives that improve reimbursement rates, support value-based contracting, remove barriers to employment and reimbursement, increase workforce diversity, recruitment, and retention and create a pipeline for the future workforce.
Bolster substance use disorder prevention, care, and recovery
We advocate for policies that expand access to medication-assisted treatment, overdose prevention, and recovery supports.
Protect and grow funding for mental health awareness training programs
We advocate for continued support for awareness training programs such as Mental Health First Aid, and prevention and treatment initiatives including recovery and housing supports.
Increase equitable access to high-quality services through CCBHCs
We support expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), including advocating for ongoing SAMHSA grant support, defining CCBHCs in the Social Security Act, and providing adequate funding for data collection.
Promote comprehensive 988 implementation
We fight to ensure a robust crisis care continuum, including enhanced mobile crisis response, coordination with CCBHCs, sustainable funding, and a strong workforce.
Elevate initiatives impacting justice involved populations
We advocate for policies that focus on helping prevent individuals that are dealing with a mental health or substance use challenge from entering the criminal justice system, pre-entry, care while in the system, re-entry and warm handoffs, and recidivism prevention.
Support mental health and substance use disorder parity
We support parity implementation and enforcement, including consideration of enforcement mechanisms.
Expand access to telehealth
We advocate for expanding access to high-quality, effective mental health and substance use care via telehealth.
Support youth and maternal mental health and substance use prevention and treatment
We fight for policies including school-based initiatives that support mental health awareness and increased coverage for prenatal and postnatal care.
Address social determinants of health
We advocate for initiatives that improve access to supportive housing, including re-entry and recovery housing and additional community support.
Take Action Today!
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