Dear Advocates,

The Indiana General Assembly now moves to the second half of the Session. This is a critical time for the behavioral health community with several bills of importance, not the least of which is HB 1001, the state Budget Bill--which cuts $26M from the Mental Health budget.
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 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 1007:
STATE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT AND GRANT PROGRAM - Requires the state department of health (department), in consultation with the office of the secretary of family and social services, to study and prepare a plan (plan) to improve the health and behavioral health of Indiana residents. Requires the plan to be submitted to the general assembly. Requires that the department establish and maintain on the department's Internet web site a web page that indicates the performance and progress of the metrics and goals of the most significant areas identified in the plan. Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant program (grant program). Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant fund. Requires the department to administer the grant program. Provides requirements for grant proposals. Requires the department to give preference in awarding the grants based on specified criteria. Requires the management performance hub to develop and publish on an Internet web site a web page that tracks Indiana's metrics on the most significant areas of health and behavioral health impacting Indiana residents and demonstrate any progress made in these metrics.
Senate Committee recommends passage, Yeas: 12; Nays: 0


House Bill 1127:
MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION FORENSIC TREATMENTS - Removes a provision that allows a: (1) delinquent child's; or (2) person's; Medicaid participation to be terminated following a two year suspension due to certain adjudications or incarceration. Adds competency restoration services to the list of treatment and wraparound recovery services made available to certain persons in the criminal justice system. Adds competency restoration services to the list of services that qualify a person for mental health and addiction forensic treatment services. Adds: (1) recovery community organizations; and (2) recovery residences; certified by the division of mental health and addiction (division) or its designee to the list of organizations eligible for certain funds and grants from the division. Requires demographic data concerning race and ethnicity to be included in certain demographic research performed by the division. Establishes the long term recovery group for Southwest Indiana program and the long term recovery group for Southwest Indiana fund.
Senate Committee recommends passage, as amended, Yeas: 9; Nays: 0

House Bill 1177:
STRATEGIC PLAN ON DEMENTIA - Requires the division of aging (division) to develop a strategic plan concerning dementia in Indiana. Requires the division to submit an annual report to the general assembly concerning the dementia strategic plan and the outcomes of implementing the dementia strategic plan.
Senate Committee recommends passage Yeas: 12; Nays: 0

Senate Bills:
Senate Bill 3:
TELEHEALTH MATTERS - Prohibits the Medicaid program from specifying originating sites and distant sites for purposes of Medicaid reimbursement. Changes the use of the term "telemedicine" to "telehealth". Specifies certain activities that are considered to be health care services for purposes of the telehealth laws. Expands the application of the telehealth statute to additional licensed practitioners instead of applying only to prescribers. Amends the definition of "telehealth". Requires that the telehealth medical records be created and maintained under the same standards of appropriate practice for medical records for patients in an in-person setting. Specifies that a patient waives confidentiality of medical information concerning individuals in the vicinity when the patient is using telehealth. Prohibits certain insurance policies and individual and group contracts from mandating the use of certain technology applications in the provision of telehealth services.
House Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 12; Nays: 0

Senate Bill 82:
MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS - Defines "mental health diagnosis" and sets forth requirements that must be met in order for certain licensed professionals to provide a mental health diagnosis. Requires certain mental health professionals who are making a mental health diagnosis and who determine that the patient has not been examined by a physician or an advanced practice registered nurse in the preceding 12 months to recommend to the patient that the patient schedule an examination by a physician at the earliest opportunity. Requires notation of that recommendation in the patient's medical record.
House Committee recommends passage, as amended Yeas: 11; Nays: 0


What's Going On in Capitol Hill?

Congressional Action

This week’s big policy news is the passage and signing of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which includes significant resources for mental health and related issues such as housing, public health workforce, and schools. MHA applauds Congress and the Administration for significant investments in mental health, including $1.5B each for the mental health and substance use block grants. Additional mental health resources are included for Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers, pediatric consultation, suicide prevention, behavioral health workforce and training, school mental health programs, addressing the mental health of health professionals, and other programs.  

Important Medicaid changes will also improve access to mental health services, including a state option for an increased match for mobile crisis services, a 10% increased match for home and community-based services, and extension of coverage for individuals post-delivery, which will allow better postpartum care, including mental healthcare.  
 
There are significant investments in public health and economic stability that will improve mental health. The bill creates a public health workforce that can include behavioral health workers. The bill also has resources for schools that can be used for mental health services and supports, among other needs. And finally, the legislation provides extensive assistance to states and localities and additional resources to improve social determinants of health and economic wellbeing by addressing child poverty, unemployment insurance, housing, child care and other needs.  
 
This is an important legislative achievement, and we are grateful to all MHA advocates who reached out to Congressional Members seeking support. We will continue working with Congress and the Administration to meet the ongoing behavioral health needs stemming from the pandemic and the underlying lack of access and funding for mental health and addiction services that preceded it.
 
The bill text can be found here. For a list of changes from the original House bill, click here. An article on general provisions is here.
 
SAMHSA Releases Block Grant Dollars from the December COVID Package
 
SAMHSA issued an announcement of its distribution of $1.65B in substance use block grants and $825M in community mental health block grants to states. An additional $825M will be going directly to community mental health centers, and SAMHSA has not announced how that will be distributed yet. To see your state’s allocation for the mental health block grant, click here, and for the state’s substance use block grant, click here. Affiliates are urged to reach out to their state mental health agency for more information about how the state intends to distribute the funds and to educate about needs in your community.
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!