Advocacy: MHLG Issue Statements

The National Register of Health Service Psychologists is a member of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG). MHLG is a coalition of national organizations representing consumers, family members, mental health and addiction providers, advocates, payers, and other stakeholders committed to strengthening Americans’ access to mental health and addiction care.

The National Register recently signed the following MHLG issue statement(s)*:

• MHLG letter from April 8, 2024: Support for the CONtinuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act
• MHLG Appropriations Recommendations for Fiscal Year 2025

The National Register previously signed the following issue statements:

• MHLG letter from October 30, 2023: Request for reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act
• MHLG letter from October 17, 2023: Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
• MHLG letter from October 4, 2023: Improving Mental Health and Wellness in Schools Act
• MHLG letter from September 19, 2023: Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act
• MHLG letter from July 26: Prevention and Early Intervention in the MHBG
• MHLG letter from July 21: Barriers to Suicide Act
• MHLG letter from June 29: Helping Kids Cope Act
• MHLG letter from June 8: Kids Online Safety Act
• MHLG letter from November 30: End-of-year Omnibus package
• MHLG letter from October 5: CONtinuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act
• MHLG letter from May 10: Strengthen Kids Mental Health Now Act (H.R. 7236)
• MHLG letter from May 10: Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Reauthorization Act (H.R. 7255)
• MHLG letter from April 13 expressing support for Kids Online Safety Act
• MHLG letter from April 5 supporting the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act
• MHLG in support of the recent reintroduction of the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act: Letter dated 2.22.22
• MHLG Letter for the Record Senate Finance Committee on Youth Mental Health: Letter dated 2.20.22
• Organizations urge for a delay in the 6-month in-person requirement prior to accessing tele-mental health services: Letter dated 2.17.22
• MHLG requests that Congress pass an FY2022 appropriations bill that includes increased funding for mental health and substance use services: Letter dated 2.7.22
• MHLG urges Congress to forego any long-tern continuing resolution and fully fund the crisis care continuum in lead up to the launch of 988 in July 2022: 11.22.21 letter
• MHLG Senate Finance RFI Stakeholder Feedback: 11.14.21 letter
• MHLG expresses support for the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act: 10.18.21 letter
• MHLG expresses support for the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act: 10.13.21 letter
• MHLG writes the leaders of the Senate HELP Committee in support of the Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act (S. 1902): Letter Dated 9.29.21
• MHLG supports additional funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Letter Dated 9.17.21
• Support for H.R. 3450/S. 1727, the Medicaid Bump Act: Letter Dated 6.21.21
• Support for Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act: Letter Dated 6.8.21
• MHLG Urges Congress to pass mental health legislation passed out of E&C last Congress: Letter Dated 5.5.2021
• FY2022 Presidential Budget Request Response and Support: Letter Dated 4.23.21
• Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act (H.R. 1324/ S. 467): Letter Dated 4.21.21
• Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act: Letter Dated 4.13.21
• American Rescue Plan Act: MHLG writes to Democratic Congressional leaders and President Biden for the significant mental health and substance use provisions and funding included in the American Rescue Plan Act.
• Supporting Eating Disorders Recovery Through Vital Expansion (SERVE) Act (H.R. 1309/S. 194): Letter Dated 3.26.21
• Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act H.R. 586: Letter Dated 3.16.21
• MHLG Endorses Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act: Letter Dated 3.12.21
• ERISA Smith Murkowski Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act: Letter Dated 3.3.21
• MHLG Writes in Support of the Mental Health Services for Students Act: Letter Dated 3.2.21
• MHLG Submits Comments on the Hearing of the Future of Telehealth: Letter Dated 3.1.21
• MHLG Writes in Support of the TREAT Act: Letter Dated 2.22.21
• MHLG Thank You Letter to Congressional Appropriators: Letter Dated 1.28.2021
• MHLG Writes to the Biden Administration to Urge Certain Steps be Taken in the First 100 Days: Letter Dated 1.19.2021
• MHLG Urges Congress to Take Actions to Address the Unprecedented Mental Health and Substance Use Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Letter Dated 12.1.20
• MHLG Expresses Support for the TREAT Act: Letter Dated 11.6.20
• MHLG Writes to Administrator Seema Verna Regarding CMS-1734-P: Letter Dated 10.5.20
• MHLG Calls for a Behavioral Health Anomaly to the FY2021 Continuing Resolution: Letter Dated 9.24.20
• Letter Urging House Consideration of Legislation to Prevent Youth Suicide and Mental Health: Letter Dated 9.21.20
• MHLG Writes to Support SAMHSA Funding: Letter Dated 8.28.20
• MHLG Writes in Support of the Advancement of S. 2661: Letter Dated 7.22.20
• MHLG Calls on Congress to Increase Federal Response to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic: Letter Dated 6.25.20
• MHLG Urges the Senate to Make Investments and Changes to Mitigate the Mental Health and Substance Use-Related Effects of COVID: Letter Dated 6.22.20
• MHLG Asks to Advance advance the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (H.R.4194/S.2661): Letter Dated 6.17.20
• MHLG Writes to the Honorable Tina Smith and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski to Express Support for S.3792, the Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act of 2020: Letter Dated 6.1.20
• MHLG Writes to Administrator Seema Verma to Request Making Telehealth Funds Permanent: Letter From May 22, 2020
• MHLG Writes to Members of Congress to Express Support for the bipartisan Health Care Protection Act (H.R. 6810): Letter From May 2020
• MHLG Writes to Members of Congress on Suicide Prevention and Youth Mental Health Priorities during COVID-19: Letter From May 2020
• MHLG Writes to Congressional Leadership Announcing Priorities for COVID Bill: Letter from May 2020
• MHLG Writes to Secretary Scalia About the Need to Require Insurers to Allow for Telemental Health via Any Secure Platform During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Letter from April 2020
• MHLG Requests Immediate Action to Protect the Mental Health of Our Nation’s Citizens: Letter from April 2020
• MHLG Supports the Mental Health of Americans Impacted by COVID-19 through Peer Support: Letter from April 2020
• MHLG Statement on State Coverage of Telehealth Service Amid Coronavirus, COVID-19: Letter from 3.25.20
• MHLG Supports the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act: Letters to Senators Collins and Smith and Representatives Tonko and Huizenga
• MHLG Appropriations Recommendations and Requests FY 2021: National Register endorsed the recommendations
• Confidentiality and Immigration Hearing Evaluation: Letter dated 2.28.2020
• MHLG issues comment letter to FCC in support of 9-8-8 as National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Letter from 2.14.20
• MHLG Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention (STANDUP) Act: Letter dated 12.2.19
• MHLG supports the RISE from Trauma Act: Letter from 10.16.19
• MHLG support for H.R. 4861, the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019
• MHLG support for H.R. 4309, the Barriers to Suicide Act
• MHLG supports the UNDERSTAND Act (S. 1323): Letter dated 9.23.19
• MHLG Extends strong support for the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act of 2019: Letter dated 9.17.19
• MHLG Continues Support for the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act (H.R. 2431): Letter Dated 7.31.19
• MHLG letter in support of the Parity Enforcement Act (H.R. 2848): Letter from 6.18.19
• MHLG letter in support of the Mental Health Parity Compliance Act of 2019: 6.6.19 Letter to Representatives Porter and Bilirakis, 6.5.19 Letter to Senators Alexander and Murray, and 5.30.19 Letter to Senators Murphy and Cassidy
• MHLG letter in support of the Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2019: Letters from 5.29.19 to The Honorable Joseph P. Kennedy III and to The Honorable Elizabeth Warren
• MHLG support for H.R. 1329, the Medicaid Reentry Act: Letter from 5.1.19
• MHLG support for the Protecting Pre-existing Conditions and Making Health Care Affordable Act: Letter from 5.1.19
• MHLG Mental Health Services for Students Act: Letter from 4.17.19
• MHLG FY2020 H.R. 2021 Support Letter: From 4.11.19
• MHLG Comments on Steps to Address Rising Health Care Costs: Letter from 3.1.19
• MHLG Urges Support for the Excellence Act Expansion: Letter from 2.8.19
• MHLG Continues Support for the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act (S. 3796): Letter from 12.20.18
• MHLG Supports Section 1003 of H.R. 6, The Demonstration Project to Increase Substance Use Provider Capacity Under the Medicaid Program: Letter from 9.21.18
• MHLG Supports the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Relief Act of 2018: Letter from 8.24.18
• MHLG Supports Compassionate Communication Funding: Letter from 5.24.18
• MHLG FY2018 Omnibus Letter: From 3.16.18
• MHLG Submits Inquiries to Federal Agencies in Support of ISMICC Recommendations (February 2018): Departments of Veterans Affairs, Education, Justice, Defense, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security Administration
• MHLG Urges Passage of The National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017: Letter from 2.16.18
• MHLG supports Rep. Kennedy’s Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2018: Letter from 1.26.18
• MHLG supports Sen. Warren’s Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2018: Letter from 1.26.18
• MHLG Supports Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion (CARE) Act, H.R. 2687: Letter from 12.19.17
• MHLG Opposes Repeal of Individual Mandate: Letter from 12.7.17
• MHLG opposes provisions within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Letter from 11.17.17
• MHLG supports the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 1950/H.R.3931): Letter from 11.14.17
• MHLG Supports Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act of 2017: Letter from 10.27.17
• MHLG Supports CONNECT for Health Act: Letter from 10.17.17
• MHLG Opposes Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson Proposal (GCHJ): Letter from 9.19.17
• MHLG Offers Solutions to Stabilizing the Individual Health Insurance Marketplace: Letter from 9.1.17
• MHLG Recommends Appropriations Committee Prioritize Behavioral Health: Letter from 7.17.17
• MHLG Raises Concerns about AHCA to HELP Committee: Letter from 6.23.17
• MHLG Thanks Senators on Authorizing Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion (CARE) Act: Letter from 6.22.17
• MHLG Expresses Concerns with H.R. 1628: Letter from 5.23.17
• MHLG Supports Medicare Mental Health Inequity Act: Letter from 5.8.17
• MHLG Voices Worry Over Outcome of AHCA Changes: Letter from 5.2.17
• MHLG Advocates Long-Term Funding Extension of CHIP: Letter from 4.28.17
• MHLG Warns AHCA Will Leave Millions Without Care: Letter from 3.17.17
• MHLG Expresses Concerns About Medicaid Per Capita Caps/Block Grants: Letter from 3.2.17
• MHLG Urges Senate and House Leadership to Protect Parity Progress: Letter from 1.3.17
• MHLG Urges Mental Health Reform: Letter from 11.14.16
• MHLG Supports the Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act (S. 2685/H.R. 4374): Letter from 9.28.16
• MHLG Support Letter Mental Health Reform Act 2016: Letter from 3.15.16

*Please note that links above direct readers to PDF or Word documents, most of which can also be accessed on MHLG’s Current Issue Statements and Archives pages.