A hearing for about 20 mental health bills in the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee was scheduled yesterday on June 30. Unfortunately, the bill that CSWA has been sponsoring for about 7 years in various forms, H.R. 1533, has not been included in the bills to be heard. This is the bill that would increase Medicare reimbursement to LCSWs and allow us to again work independently in skilled nursing facilities.
We need an all-out effort to get the bill included. Please send the following message to your representative, ESPECIALLY if they are on the E&C Committee. To check whether you representative is on the Committee, go to https://energycommerce.house.gov/about-ec/membership . Feel free to send messages to other members of the Committee as well.
Dear Rep. ___________, I am a constituent and a member of the Clinical Social Work Association. Please consider adding HR 1533 to the agenda for the Energy and Commerce Hearing on June 30. This bill, Improving Access to Mental Health Act, would greatly improve the access of Medicare beneficiaries to mental health services provided by clinical social workers. As the largest group of mental health providers in the country, clinical social workers are currently a key part of the treatment of behavioral disorders in Medicare and across the country. I notice that HR 945, which addresses mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists, is included in this hearing, a sister bill to HR 1533. The goals of these bills are similar, to allow Master’s level mental health clinicians to provide independent services in skilled nursing facilities and give beneficiaries much needed access to mental health services. Currently, HR 945 does not include clinical social workers. It would make sense to include all Master’s level mental health providers at this hearing. Thank you for your attention to HR 1533. Sincerely,[your name, license, email]
Dear Rep. ___________,
I am a constituent and a member of the Clinical Social Work Association.
Please consider adding HR 1533 to the agenda for the Energy and Commerce Hearing on June 30. This bill, Improving Access to Mental Health Act, would greatly improve the access of Medicare beneficiaries to mental health services provided by clinical social workers. As the largest group of mental health providers in the country, clinical social workers are currently a key part of the treatment of behavioral disorders in Medicare and across the country.
I notice that HR 945, which addresses mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists, is included in this hearing, a sister bill to HR 1533. The goals of these bills are similar, to allow Master’s level mental health clinicians to provide independent services in skilled nursing facilities and give beneficiaries much needed access to mental health services. Currently, HR 945 does not include clinical social workers. It would make sense to include all Master’s level mental health providers at this hearing.
Thank you for your attention to HR 1533.
Sincerely,[your name, license, email]
CSWA appreciates your help and continued partnership. As always please let me know when you have sent your messages.
Laura Groshong, LICSW, Director, Policy and Practicewww.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org
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