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Napolitano’s Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act Supported by LA County Board of Supervisors

April 20, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously moved to support Rep. Grace F. Napolitano's H.R. 2611, the Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act. 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 is 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 released from emergency departments and 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. Providing relief from the IMD payment prohibition would finally give California and other states the ability to use federal funds to cover Medicaid-eligible individuals in need of behavioral health treatment. I thank the Board of Supervisors for supporting my legislation and recognizing that we must do all we can to provide life-saving care to any resident in need."

"Through my motion, unanimously approved today, the Board of Supervisors will send a 5-signature letter in support of H.R. 2611, the Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act, introduced by Representative Grace Napolitano," said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 5th District. "This is important federal legislation that will help provide adequate inpatient or residential mental health treatment beds for individuals between the ages of 16-64 in need of critical services. I am grateful for Representative Napolitano, who shares my commitment and dedication for providing compassionate mental health care, and ensuring individuals receive the most appropriate care in the most appropriate setting.

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.

"Repealing the IMD exclusion is not only necessary to address the mental health care needs of individuals requiring and deserving adequate residential services to heal, it is also an important step in resolving both the critical parity gap between physical and mental health care that continues to plague this field from a fiscal perspective, as well as the societal stigma that interferes with access to treatment at the expense of those most impacted by brain illness," said Dr. Jonathan Sherin, Director of Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

LA County Board of Supervisors Letter Supporting H.R. 2611



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