December 18, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule on Nov. 26, 2024, introducing changes to multiple Medicare programs including Medicare Advantage (MA). This proposal... Grassroots Action Center
December 18, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
NEW DEVELOPMENT 12/19/24: Congress has changed direction and the CR may change in the coming days, NBCC will provide a more detailed update in early 2025!Continuing Resolution Bill Contains Several... December 9, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
New Congress Brings Changes in Health Policy Leadership Republicans have gained control of the Senate by a majority of 53-47. There will be 12 new senators—six from each party. The 119th... December 6, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
As Congress enters its lame-duck period, several critical health policy deadlines loom: Dec. 31, 2024: Current continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government expires.Dec. 31, 2024:... November 4, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
About 1.64 million U.S. troops served in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since their return, many of the men and women who fought for our country have been fighting something even more pernicious... October 31, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
There seems to be a new mental health issue that is afflicting the vast majority of adults in the United States: election anxiety. There is no official diagnosis, CPT code, or resource-based... October 21, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a crucial mental health resource, offering services 24/7, every day of the year. Since its launch in July 2022, the Lifeline has received more than 10... October 21, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
Led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), several federal agencies have announced major investments of $300 million in grants to support behavioral health... September 30, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
On Sept. 26 President Biden signed a federal budget extension known as a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will maintain federal spending at current levels for nearly all government agencies through... September 18, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
On Sept. 9, the Biden administration finalized rules aimed at expanding mental health parity measures under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). Since its enactment in 2008,... September 16, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) has provided extensive comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on several provisions affecting... September 11, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
In the recently released Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, Dr. Vivek Murthy warns that parents are facing unprecedented... August 30, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (National Academies) has issued a major report recommending that the federal government and the states take several steps to improve... August 16, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
America continues to battle a fentanyl crisis, and in July, Reuters published a lengthy investigation on illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Several journalists easily purchased the ingredients and... August 13, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
Advisories from the surgeon general of the United States are public statements that call attention to critical public health issues for consideration... July 9, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
Debates at the state legislature level on limiting gender-affirming care for minors remain incredibly contentious among policymakers, and it appears this will remain so for the foreseeable future... July 3, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
A recent national survey paints a disturbing picture of Americans’ perceptions of our mental health care system in addressing effectiveness, cost, and access to care. According to the survey, 75% of... June 11, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
On May 14, the federal government issued a groundbreaking and comprehensive national strategy to address the prevalence and magnitude of the maternal mental health care crisis in the United States,... June 1, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
INTRODUCTION The United States faced two decades of continuous war from 2001-2021, and the media and individuals with personal military connections have elevated public and professional... May 22, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
Over 49,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide in 2022. An estimated 13.2 million adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.8 million made a plan, and 1.6 million attempted suicide, according to... May 3, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
NBCC has partnered with The National Council for Metal Wellbeing for their Hill Day and Public Policy Institute, and we would like to invite you to join us in Washington, D.C., on June 5–6. This... April 4, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
Important Note: If you have already opted out, you have 90 days from the date of your signed opt-out affidavit to reverse that decision and enroll in Medicare. The Medicare program is essential... March 18, 2024 by NBCC Government Affairs
Coinciding with President Biden’s State of the Union Address on March 7, the White House released a fact sheet that covers numerous domestic policy issues, including recent actions on behavioral... November 16, 2023 by NBCC Government Affairs
On Nov. 8, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee passed a bipartisan comprehensive bill by unanimous vote—entitled the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act—that would... September 28, 2023 by NBCC Government Affairs
The federal government is heading toward a partial funding shutdown beginning Oct. 1, and it is unclear how long the shutdown may last if a solution is not reached.Congress has until Saturday night... August 7, 2023 by NBCC Government Affairs
On July 25, the Biden Administration announced a proposed federal rule to improve access to mental health care in the commercial health insurance market. The rule would ensure mental health... July 21, 2023 by NBCC Government Affairs
On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the proposed 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), a rule that announces and solicits public comments... June 8, 2023 by NBCC Government Affairs
Congress passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, and it was signed by President Biden on June 3 before the U.S. Treasury Department would have run out of sufficient funds to pay the... March 7, 2023 by NBCC Government Affairs
Why It Matters: The Public Health Emergency (PHE) declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the array of policy changes it enacted have been in place since March 2020. The Families First... December 7, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
Concerns about shortages of behavioral health providers are longstanding. In addition, the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified concerns about the increasing numbers... September 23, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
On Sept. 21, 2022, the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee approved the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 432) in a key bipartisan vote supporting Medicare coverage for the... August 30, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
The Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, has released a new report... August 24, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
In July 2022, Health Affairs published an article titled Medicare Should Cover Marriage and Family Therapists, Mental Health Counselors. The article addresses the importance... June 6, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
Brain Awareness and the Opioid Crisis In May, NBCC celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month by joining with the KPM Group DC for Brain Health Awareness Week and a... May 12, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
In May 2022, plans for a new pilot program to send a mental health professional instead of police officers to some (low-risk) incidents was announced in Cincinnati, Ohio. Similar programs aimed at... April 19, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
988 Launches July 2022In 2020, the U.S. Congress designated a new three-digit dialing code - 988 - for Americans to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline). The new dialing code... April 13, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
On March 29, 2022, the White House released President Joe Biden’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2023. The president's budget serves as a recommendation to Congress and is a way that the White House... March 14, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
Fighting the Opioid CrisisAs the opioid epidemic continues to march forward leaving a path of destroyed lives and overdoses in its wake, several states and various organizations are taking measures... February 8, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
The Commonwealth Fund recently released a study comparing older adults’ mental health needs and access to treatment in 11 high-income countries. This study further highlights the need to pass the... January 20, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
On March 3-4, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will be hosting a public workshop bringing together experts and key stakeholders to examine the federal regulatory and... January 7, 2022 by NBCC Government Affairs
Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the Post-9/11 Veterans’ Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2021. The legislation makes several workforce-related investments in VA to... April 17, 2019 by NBCC Government Affairs
NBCC is part of the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition along with several other organizations including the American Counseling Association (ACA), The American Mental Health Counselors... October 9, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
H.R. 5102/S. 2524, the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018 has been included in the bipartisan opioid package that Congress passed in early October. This legislation provides... September 4, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
NBCC’s exclusive monthly newsletter for counselors who have signed up to be members of the Counselor Advocacy Network is available now! Read it here. August 14, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
Rep. John Katko (R-NY-24), the main sponsor of our Medicare reimbursement bill, has introduced another piece of legislation that increases access to counselors and other mental health professionals... June 13, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
Congress is in the process of developing opioid legislation and H.R. 5102/S. 2524, The Substance Use Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018, is under consideration. H.R. 5102/S. 2524 provides... June 4, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
The President’s 2019 fiscal year budget eliminated funding for the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). The program provides scholarships to minority mental health and addiction... May 18, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
Rep. John Katko (R-NY-24), the main sponsor of the NBCC’s Medicare bill, spoke at a recentcongressional briefing held by the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, giving an impassioned plea... May 18, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) has introduced H.R 5531, the Opioid Emergency Response Act. The bill contains a seven-point plan to address the opioid crisis, including a section authorizing mental health... March 29, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
The NBCC is endorsing new House and Senate bills that would offer student loan repayment to counselors and other addiction treatment professionals who serve for up to six years in direct patient care... March 29, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
House bill H.R. 3032 and Senate bill S. 1879, both of which authorize counselors to serve Medicare beneficiaries, were praised last week at a congressional briefing sponsored by the NBCC, the... March 29, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
The AARP is endorsing H.B. 3032 and S.B. 1879 for inclusion in the omnibus spending bill to be considered by Congress. The bills would provide coverage of mental health counselor and marriage and... March 29, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
On April 11, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is holding a Virtual Job Fair where representatives from more than 100 health care organizations nationwide will be... March 29, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
The $1.3 trillion spending package signed by the President provides many significant increases in funding for counseling and other behavioral health programs.
Behavioral health workforce programs... 
March 5, 2018 by NBCC Government Affairs
Arizona House Bill 2406, which would have eliminated licensure for professional counselors and abolished the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, is dead for the session. The bill will not... 
