Dear Advocates,

We invite you to follow along as we navigate this year's new and exciting legislative session. If you are interested in learning more about our policy agenda, please be sure to review our 2022 Public Policy Statements HERE.

Mental Health America of Indiana advocates for effective legislation that will improve the behavioral health sector in Indiana. Below are KEY behavioral health bills heard in committee this week.
House Bills:
House Bill 1141:
MENTAL HEALTH (Vermilion, A) - Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to apply for a state Medicaid waiver to reimburse providers who provide behavioral health services to committed offenders held by the department of correction. Requires the division of mental health and addiction to: (1) establish a plan to expand the use of certified community behavioral health clinics in Indiana; and (2) make certain considerations in preparing the plan.
House Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 10; Nays: 0

House Bill 1123:
MEDICAID ADVISORY COMMITTEE (Porter, G) - Adds one member representing the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Indiana Chapter, to the Medicaid advisory committee.
House Committee recommends passage Yeas: 12; Nays: 0

House Bill 1192:
QUALIFIED PROVIDERS AND MEDICAID SCHOOL SERVICES (Karickhoff, M) - Defines "qualified provider" and "school based nurse" for purposes of providing Medicaid covered services in a school setting. Specifies conditions that must be met in order for the school based Medicaid services to be provided.
House Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 10; Nays: 0

House Bill 1193:
OPIOID LITIGATION (Karickhoff, M) - Amends the deadline by which a political subdivision may opt back in to an opioid litigation settlement. Limits the manner by which a political subdivision may pay for the costs, expenses, and attorney's fees arising from opioid litigation. Changes the basis by which the agency settlement fund distributes funds to cities, counties, and towns. Reduces the percentage of opioid litigation settlement funds distributed for use of statewide treatment, education, and prevention programs for opioid use disorder. Provides that 35% of opioid litigation settlement funds are to be distributed to political subdivisions for treatment, education, and prevention programs for opioid use disorder. Removes certain requirements for the secretary of family and social services administration concerning the allocation of funds received from an opioid litigation settlement.
House Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 20; Nays: 0
Senate Bills:
Senate Bill 6:
BAIL FOR VIOLENT ARRESTEES (Young, M) - Defines "violent crime", "violent arrestee", "repeat violent arrestee", and "minimum bail amount", and requires: (1) a court to review the probable cause affidavit or arrest warrant before releasing a violent arrestee or repeat violent arrestee on bail; (2) bail to be set for a violent arrestee or repeat violent arrestee following a hearing in open court; and (3) a repeat violent arrestee released on bail to pay 100% of the minimum bail amount by cash deposit. Prohibits a third party who is not a close relative of a repeat violent arrestee from posting bail for the repeat violent arrestee. Requires mandatory bail revocation for a violent arrestee who commits a felony while released. Provides for victim notification of bail hearings. Requires nonmonetary release for non-violent arrestees under certain circumstances. Makes conforming amendments.
Senate Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 7; Nays: 2

Senate Bill 10:
MARION COUNTY VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PILOT (Crider, M) - Permits establishment of the: (1) Marion County violent crime reduction pilot project; and (2) Marion County violent crime reduction pilot project fund; to identify violent crime reduction districts in Marion County and to provide grants for overtime, violent crime reduction programs, and additional law enforcement services in the violent crime reduction districts. Defines "violent crime reduction district".
Senate Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 9; Nays: 0

Senate Bill 284:
TELEHEALTH MATTERS (Charbonneau, E) - Consolidates Medicaid telehealth language. Adds specified health care providers, students, and fellows to the definition of "practitioner" for purposes of practicing telehealth. Allows behavior health analysts to temporarily perform telehealth during the time when the professional licensing agency is preparing to implement licensure for the profession. Exempts certain actions from the definition of "telehealth", allowing for a practitioner to delegate consultation, treatment, and monitoring of a patient if the delegated health service is within the practitioner's scope of practice and allowed to be delegated by the practitioner in an in-person setting.
Senate Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 12; Nays: 0

Senate Bill 365:
PSYCHOLOGY INTERJURISDICTIONAL COMPACT (Becker, V) - Establishes the psychology interjurisdictional compact concerning interjurisdictional telepsychology and the temporary authorization to practice psychology in another compact state. Sets forth requirements of a compact state. Sets forth the duties of the psychology interjurisdictional compact commission.
Senate Committee recommends passage Yeas: 12; Nays: 0

Senate Bill 88:
PRESCRIPTION DRUG REBATES AND PRICING (Charbonneau, E) - Provides that the defined cost sharing for a prescription drug under a covered individual's health insurance coverage must be calculated at the point of sale and based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 85% of all rebates received by the insurer in connection with the dispensing or administration of the prescription drug.
Senate Committee recommends passage Yeas: 7; Nays: 4
The Return of Hoosier Idol
We're Back... & Better Than Ever!

Join us on Wednesday, February 23rd, from 6 - 9 PM at the Indiana Roof Ballroom for The Return of Hoosier Idol!

Starring members of the Indiana General Assembly, legislators will compete to be crowned Hoosier Idol 2022!

Tickets are on SALE now!

Price of Table: $1,000
Price of Individual Tickets: $125

If you would like to sponsor this event, please email our Director of Communications and Marketing, Kelby Gaw, directly at kgaw@mhai.net

All funds raised from this event will be used to help protect and promote the lives of individual's effected by mental health and addiction. To learn more about the event and to register, click HERE.
More than ever, we must stay in touch with you through technology, so please be sure to sign up for our IN.session Newsletter and VoterVoice Action Alerts to stay up to date on important mental health related legislation.

If you would like to review all of the bills Mental Health America of Indiana is following, click HERE for our Action Track report!