Murkowski defends mental and behavioral health provisions in fiscal 2023 appropriations package

27.12.22

As lead proprietor, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) played a key role in securing many mental and behavioral health provisions within the omnibus vote pool that funds the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2023.

Recognizing the need to strengthen mental and behavioral health support in Alaska, Murkowski has prioritized suicide prevention programs, treatment and recovery opportunities for people struggling with substance abuse, and the expansion of mental health workforce. She also won large Congressional Directed Spending (CDS) allocations related to mental and behavioral health that were requested by Alaskans.

“Affordable, accessible and de-stigmatized mental and behavioral health services are essential to the quality of life in our communities. I have made more resources for them one of my top priorities in the omnibus, as Alaska is disproportionately affected by substance abuse disorders, faces a lack of specialists in mental and behavioral health and has seen a devastating increase in suicide deaths, especially among military service members. “,” Murkowski said. “I am delighted that three provisions that I led have been included in the final package; two aim to prevent deaths by suicide and the other strengthens maternal and postpartum mental health services. We have also ensured that the omnibus contains significant investments to educate and mentor young people, to help them stay on the safest path possible, and for safe housing to create a safer and more reliable environment for the healing of vulnerable people. Whether it’s prevention, treatment, recovery, or supporting individual or family care, our year-end package provides essential resources to help ensure that Alaska’s most vulnerable receive the care and the support they need, when they need it most.

Murkowski added the following CDS allocations to the year-end omnibus:

• Juneau: $870,000 to renovate and expand the specialized behavioral health facility JAHMI Health & Wellness.
• Statewide: $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Southcentral Alaska to provide behavioral health support to children and youth.
• Anchoring: $290,000 to Providence Alaska to establish and launch the Alaska Psychiatry Residency Program.
• Anchoring: $750,000 to build a crisis stabilization center at Providence Alaska Medical Center.
• Wasilla: $5 million to Set Free Alaska to build a therapeutic campus consisting of recovery residence facilities.

Highlights of mental and behavioral health in the omnibus include:

• Drug Treatment Integration Act (MAT): Legislation led by Murkowski that will dramatically increase access to life-saving addiction drugs by removing a redundant bureaucratic hurdle – colloquially known as the “x-waiver” – currently preventing millions of highly trained medical professionals from prescribing buprenorphine to their patients.
• Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department: Legislation led by Murkowski to provide additional resources to hospital emergency departments to Improve screening and care for people at risk of suicide and improve coordination of care for these people while they are discharged.
• Reauthorization of Garrett Lee Smith: Legislation led by Murkowski to reauthorize a number of suicide prevention programs, including the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and state and tribal grants for youth suicide prevention and early intervention .
• In the Light for Maternal Mental Health: A Murkowski-led provision that reauthorizes and expands screening and treatment programs for maternal mental health and substance abuse disorders.
• Crisis Response Pilot Program: Establishes a mental health crisis response pilot program to establish and enhance mobile crisis response teams to respond to mental health and addictions crises.
• Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment and Recovery ActReauthorizes programs to address substance use disorders and homeless recovery, increase access to treatment in areas with high rates of opioid use, support prevention efforts and response to underage alcohol use and to increase access to emergency treatment for opioid overdoses.
• Peer Supported Mental Health ServicesDirects HHS to provide grants to develop, expand, and improve access to peer-delivered mental health services, with particular consideration to the unique needs of rural areas in states such as Alaska.
• Reauthorization of Block Grants for Community Mental Health ServicesReauthorize and increase funding for the Community Mental Health Block Grant program, with a reserve for evidence-based crisis care services.
• Recovery housing: Includes language clarifying SAMSHA’s role to collaborate with national housing organizations, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other relevant stakeholders to promote the availability of high-quality housing and recovery services for people with a substance use disorder.
• Housing Working Group: Directs the Secretaries of HHS and HUD to convene an interagency task force with all relevant agencies to increase collaboration to promote the availability of housing, including recovery housing, for people who are homeless and those with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders.
• Housing subsidies for recovery: Authorizes significant funding for state grants to promote the availability of restorative housing and to develop plans to implement best practices in restorative housing.
• Resources on Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorders for Native Americans: The Native Behavioral Health Access Improvement Act creates a formula and grant program to help tribes access resources to address mental health needs and substance use disorders in their communities.
• Media and mental health: Directs HHS to conduct or support research into the mental health impacts of adolescent smartphone and social media use.

• NOPAIN Law: Legislation co-sponsored by Murkowski to provide separate Medicare payment for non-opioid treatments to manage pain from surgeries.
• Improving Access to Mental Health Act: Legislation co-sponsored by Murkowski that establishes Medicare coverage for services provided by marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors beginning January 1, 2024.

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