Dawn Cottingham-Frohna has been named commissioner of West Virginia's Department of Health and Human Resources' Bureau for Behavioral Health, effective immediately.
Government & Regulation
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law a bill that allows nurse practitioners to practice without holding contracts with physicians, according to a March 16 American Association of Nurse Practitioners news release.
HHS has established two grants totaling $123.6 million for community behavioral health clinic expansion through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The Washington State Senate has proposed allocating $860 million of the state's budget toward behavioral health initiatives, Peninsula Daily News reported March 23.
The Louisiana Department of Health may have improperly spent $13 million in behavioral health provider fees, according to a state auditor's report.
Advertisement
Here are 14 bills aiming to expand access to mental and behavioral healthcare at the national and state levels that Becker's has reported on since March 1.
Senators Michael Bennett from Colorado and Ron Wyden from Oregon introduced the Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act March 22 to expand access to mental and behavioral health services for Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid patients.
Rhode Island's Attorney General Peter Neronha, along with 15 other attorneys general, are renewing an effort to change limits to behavioral health insurance coverage, Providence Business News reported March 20.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is rallying support for her $80 million behavioral health plan to expand access to care in the state, OregonLive reported March 21.
California lawmakers have submitted a bill that would require a minimum amount of staff in hospitals for behavioral health emergencies, SFGate reported March 21.