November 01, 2022
The U.S. must take action to improve access to behavioral health care and bring treatment within reach of millions of Americans.
A new research brief from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Research and the Action Institute focuses on the need to address the country’s growing behavioral health crisis. The brief highlights the urgency to address professional shortages and insurance gaps, while supporting new models that can deliver care where it is needed.
“With a growing share of the population reporting mental health and substance use issues, policymakers need to prioritize expanding access, coverage, and affordability of care,” the research brief notes.
Among the key takeaways from the research brief:
HAP continues to advocate for policies and legislation to support behavioral health across the commonwealth. Last week, HAP President and CEO Andy Carter sent a letter to Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation outlining the state’s behavioral health needs.
“With more Pennsylvanians grappling with anxiety, depression, suicide, substance abuse, and other mental health challenges heightened by the pandemic, now is the time to take aggressive steps to address the crisis,” Carter said. “This includes expanding the behavioral health workforce, increasing access to services, and bolstering the triage and treatment capacity of ED throughout the commonwealth. We support these policies to meet Pennsylvanians’ behavioral health needs.”
The letter, as well as HAP’s behavioral health priorities, is available to review online.
Read the AAMC research brief online.
Tags: Federal Advocacy | Behavioral Health
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