Legislative Positions

AGPA actively promotes the awareness of group psychotherapy as a treatment alternative to the public, patients/clients, potential sources of referrals, creators and public policy, third-party payers, and educators.

AGPA is an active participant in the Mental Health Liaison Group, a consortium of mental health organizations which cooperates on public information and legislative initiatives. As part of its work with the Mental Health Liaison Group, AGPA has supported the following legislation:

DATE	2021 LETTERS
January 19, 2021	Letter to the Biden-Harris Transition team on the important role that telehealth has played in the provision of mental health and substance use services during the COVID-19 pandemic and the important role that it will continue to possess post-COVID-19.
February 1, 2021	Endorsement of the Barriers to Suicide Act, which creates grants for state and local governments to fund nets and barriers on bridges to prevent deaths by suicide.
February 4, 2021	Letter expressing support for H.R. 432, legislation to allow marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to bill Medicare for their services.
February 22, 2021	Letter demonstrating support of the recent reintroduction of the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act (H.R. 708/S. 168) led by Senators Murphy (D-CT) and Blunt (R-MO) and Representatives Dingell (D-MI) and Latta (R-OH).
March 1, 2021	Comments submitted for the record to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for its March 2, 2021 hearing on The Future of Telehealth: How COVID-19 is Changing the Delivery of Virtual Care.
March 3, 2021	Letter expressing strong support for the Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act, which would require group health plans and health insurers to cover mental health and substance use disorder telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
March 4, 2021	Letter expressing support for the COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act – legislation that directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), to conduct or support research on the mental health consequences of SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.
March 16, 2021	Thank you letter to Reps. Scott Peters and Gus Bilirakis for their legislation H.R. 586, Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act. This act will encourage more educational agencies to create and implement student suicide awareness and prevention training policies via competitive SAMHSA grants.
March 24, 2021	Thank you letter to Democratic Congressional leaders for the significant mental health and substance use provisions and funding included in the American Rescue Plan Act.
March 24, ‎‎2021‎	Thank you letter to President Biden for the significant mental health and substance use provisions and funding included in the American Rescue Plan Act.
May 11, 2020	Thank you letter to Sens. Shaheen and Tillis and Representatives Moulton, Katko, and Escobar for their legislation (Supporting Eating Disorders Recovery Through Vital Expansion Act) that would improve access to care, early identification, and quality of care for servicemembers and military family members affected by eating disorders.
April 13, 2021	Thank you letter to Sens. Murkowski and Smith and Representatives Katko and Napolitano for their legislation (Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act of 2021) that would create a student loan repayment program for mental health professionals who commit to working in underserved communities.
April 21, 2021	Thank you letter to Reps. Bilirakis and Soto and Sens. Murkowski and King for their legislation (Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021) that would improve the identification and treatment of patients with suicidal ideation who access the emergency department.
May 5, 2021	Letter urging Congress to consider mental health legislation passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee last Congress by the House of Representatives. This legislation helps prevent suicide for all ages, enables diagnosis and treatment for substance use disorders, and overall supports patients with mental health conditions.
June 8, 2021	Letter in support of legislation which will encourage more educational agencies to create and implement student suicide awareness and prevention training policies via competitive SAMHSA grants. MHLG sent a similar letter to House leaders when its version was introduced in March 2021.
June 30, 2021	Letter expressing strong support for the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs.
July 7, 2021	Letter expressing strong support for the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 2069/H.R. 4323). This legislation would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs.
July 22, 2021	Letter to the Senate HELP Committee to take action and approve 9 House-passed mental health bills to help prevent suicide for all ages, enable diagnosis and treatment for substance use disorders, and overall support patients with mental health conditions.
August 23, 2021	The Moms Matter Act, part of the Momnibus package, will make investments in community-based programs to support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The bill also provides funding to grow and diversify the maternal mental health care workforce.
September 10, 2021	The Moms Matter Act, part of the Momnibus package, will make investments in community-based programs to support moms with maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The bill also provides funding to grow and diversify the maternal mental health care workforce.
September 17, 2021	Letter expressing support for additional funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline be included in a Fiscal Year 2022 Continuing Resolution as requested by the Office of Management and Budget. This funding will provide critical resources for the network and operations of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) as it transitions to 9-8-8 on July 16, 2022.
September 29, 2021	Letter to the leaders of the Senate HELP Committee in support of the Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act (S. 1902), legislation that would provide critical support to develop and sustain crisis services across the country at time when more people than ever, including children, are struggling with worsening mental health, substance use and suicidal ideation.
October 18, 2021	Senators Collins and Smith and Representatives Tonko and Huizenga introduced legislation to eliminate Medicare’s discriminatory 190 days lifetime limit for inpatient psychiatric hospital care.