Congressman Grace F. Napolitano | wikipedia
Congressman Grace F. Napolitano | wikipedia
WASHINGTON, DC – On April 27, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-El Monte) announced that her bill, H.R. 1201, the Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act, had been unanimously supported by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The bill would repeal the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) payment prohibition and require states to submit a plan to: increase access to outpatient and community-based behavioral health care; increase availability of crisis stabilization services; and improve data sharing and coordination between physical health, mental health and addiction treatment providers and first responders.
“Medicaid remains the largest payer of mental health services in our country, and expansion of this critical coverage is long overdue,” Napolitano said. “Without in-patient beds, individuals experiencing mental health crisis are often forced to deal with their illness without professional care. They tragically too often end up in prison or on the streets, which not only worsens mental health conditions, but increases the cost of care to the state and the federal government. This legislation provides states, like our home state of California, with the ability to develop much needed inpatient and residential care for Medicaid-eligible individuals with a serious mental illness. I thank the Board of Supervisors for again supporting my legislation and working to provide life-saving care to any resident in need.
“We are working to expand the availability of mental health treatment in Los Angeles County, but the IMD exclusion has been one of our biggest challenges in our way,” said Chair Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Fourth District. “This legislation is key to not only addressing our mental health crisis, but our homelessness crisis as well. Congresswoman Napolitano has been a longtime champion of compassionate, accessible mental health care and I am grateful she is leading this important charge in Washington.”
“Building out our mental health continuum of care is the county’s top priority,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Fifth District. “The IMD exclusion severely limits our ability to expand our bed capacity and bring mental health resources to all communities. Congresswoman Napolitano has been a champion for mental health reform and parity, and I am grateful that she has continued to elevate the importance of the IMD exclusion.”
The IMD payment prohibition is a long-standing policy that prohibits the federal government from providing Medicaid matching funds to states for services rendered to certain Medicaid-eligible individuals, age 21-64, who are patients in IMDs. The term "IMD" is defined as a hospital, nursing facility, or other institution of more than 16 beds, that is primarily engaged in providing diagnosis, treatment, or care of persons with mental diseases, including medical attention, nursing care, and related services.
“Comprehensive access to mental health care is only possible when parity exists for all people in all settings,” said Dr. Lisa H. Wong, Director of Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. “By repealing the IMD exclusion the federal government will enable support for individuals with serious mental illness in appropriate settings, create more equality between physical and mental health care and make a bold statement against the existing stigma associated with mental illness.”
LA County Board of Supervisors Letter Supporting H.R. 1201
If you or someone you know needs help, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8.
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