Learn more about our mental health policy priorities for the 2023-24 year.
MHA works to ensure that the voices of lived experience, especially those of young people, are leading policy development and implementation. MHA also advocates for quality measurement systems to incorporate positive patient experience as an outcome measure. MHA is a leader in expanding coverage and increasing reimbursement of peer support services across payers and ensuring warmlines are widely available.
MHA focuses on prevention and early intervention, working to ensure that funding is allocated upstream. MHA advocates for a public health approach to mental health. MHA is a leader in promoting universal approaches to screening and mental health literacy education. We also recognize the importance of social drivers of mental health and substance use. We advocate for screening, collecting data, researching effective interventions, and addressing the social drivers. MHA promotes positive environments and advocates for improved school climates and accountability for social media platforms to address toxic digital environments that cause mental health and substance use harms.
Because insurance coverage is critical to accessing mental health and substance use services, MHA advocates for expansive coverage policies, especially during this time of Medicaid unwinding in the states. MHA continues its longstanding commitment to achieving parity in coverage of mental health and substance use services and to improving the accuracy of provider directories and the adequacy of networks across payers. MHA recognizes the importance of innovation and advocates for access to telehealth and for a regulatory payment structure to encourage effective digital technology. MHA fights to remove barriers to accessing effective treatment for the person with mental health or substance use conditions, recognizing that treatment must be tailored to the person’s needs, not the payers’ restrictions. We recognize the importance of developing a well-trained workforce, especially providers who can effectively support children and young people. We promote deflection from law enforcement responses to crisis and non-coercive, non-carceral care that is person-centered, such as peer respites and mobile crisis teams.