In an issue brief dated April 18, 2022, the National Association of Medicaid Directors has highlighted that The IMD exclusion can make it challenging for state Medicaid programs to meet the behavioral health needs of their members. Specifically, there are challenges accessing inpatient services and contradictions with other policy goals. NAMD suggests three opportunities for
According to Politico, the four top Democratic and Republican appropriators met on Thursday, April 28th, 2022, to begin negotiations on a budget for fiscal year 2023. The stated goal is to have the top-line defense and non-defense numbers locked in before summer, the first step in setting the budget. The House Appropriations Committee has ambitions
The CLWA recommends Congress extend foster care to age 21 so that every young person in foster care will have an option to stay in care, resulting in improved education, housing, and employment outcomes. In 2008, Congress passed the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (PL 110-351). That law gave states the option
Tuesday, April 5th, 2022 the Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on several important bills, including H.R. 7236, the Strengthening Kids' Mental Health Now Act. If enacted, H.R. 7236 would expand the availability of mental, emotional, and behavioral health services under the Medicaid program. This bipartisan legislation would bolster the infrastructure for
The final appropriations for FY 2022 sharply reduced the significant increases in children’s and child welfare programs compared to what the House had adopted last July. Many of the House increases had adopted the Biden Administration request in their first budget request. Within CAPTA, state grants receive $95 million which represents an increase of $5
In November 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) conducted the School Food Authority (SFA) Survey on Supply Chain Disruptions to better understand the impact on school nutrition programs. The survey found that 92 percent of schools reported experiencing challenges due to supply chain disruptions. The most frequently cited challenges include
On Wednesday March 2nd, 2022 the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis held a hearing that highlighted “COVID Child Care Challenges: Supporting Families and Caregivers”. Chairmen Clyburn (D-SC) opening remarks noted that “46% of childcare providers reported in summer 2021 they were likely to close without government relief packages”. He went on to state that
On Tuesday, February 22, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, Gender Policy Council Director Jen Klein, and Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Mobility Carmel Martin hosted a conversation with parents and their children at the White House to discuss their struggles with finding and affording childcare
On Thursday, February 17th, the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce held an investigative hearing on ‘Americans in Need: Responding to the National Mental Health Crisis.’ The Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over Medicaid, making it a key committee in any significant effort to enact behavioral health
On Thursday, February 17, 2022, after some delaying tactics by a few Senators, the Senate did give final approval to a new CR that extends funding until March 11, 2022. The hope is that March 11, deadline will allow completion of the 12 FY 2022 appropriations bills. The appropriations leadership has been very tight-lipped on