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SAN DIEGO, Dec. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The California Affiliation of Marriage and Household Therapists (CAMFT) is celebrating the momentous passage of the Psychological Well being Entry Enchancment Act inside the Omnibus invoice, which incorporates Marriage and Household Therapists (MFTs) as Medicare suppliers.
“Entry to psychological well being providers is important to the well being and well-being of our communities, and with out Marriage and Household Therapists, these providers can be restricted,” mentioned Consultant Mike Thompson. “I’m proud that my laws to make Medicare cowl psychological well being providers offered by counselors and Marriage and Household Therapists was included within the authorities funding invoice. This everlasting growth will guarantee broad entry to look after communities throughout the nation, and I look ahead to seeing extra People reap the benefits of these psychological well being providers.”
The psychological well being knowledge for elders is sobering, with one-in-four affected by psychological sickness or substance use dysfunction. The issue is compounded by financial and racial disparities, a rising senior inhabitants, and the COVID pandemic, with some research exhibiting solely 4-20% of aged People needing psychological well being assist with the ability to entry a therapist. This laws will add over 200,000 psychological well being clinicians to the Medicare workforce, permitting elevated entry to desperately wanted psychological healthcare.
“We’re within the midst of a psychological well being disaster, and we applaud Congress for taking this essential motion to assist meet the psychological well being wants of our aged and all these using Medicare. The bipartisan passage of this invoice reveals a dedication by Congress to embrace the function of MFTs in addressing a scarcity of expert therapists for Medicare beneficiaries. This can be a momentous day for psychological well being,” expressed CAMFT Govt Director Pleasure Alafia.
MFTs are extensively educated psychological well being clinicians who comprise 55% of the behavioral well being workforce in California, offering psychotherapy to people, {couples}, households and teams and dealing with individuals fighting psychological well being points corresponding to melancholy, anxiousness and PTSD. This laws is crucial to making sure that Medicare beneficiaries have entry to sufficient psychological well being care, particularly these in rural areas. If signed into legislation, the invoice will enable the protection of MFT providers underneath half B of the Medicare program, offering a major inflow of educated and licensed psychological well being suppliers into the Medicare system, efficient Jan. 1, 2024.
Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. John Katko, Senator John Barrasso, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the whole Medicare Psychological Well being Workforce Coalition are acknowledged for his or her excellent management and dedication to psychological well being entry.
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS
CAMFT is an impartial skilled group representing the pursuits of over 35,000 Marriage and Household Therapists (MFTs) who’re consultants in diagnosing and treating psychological well being points for any one who seeks remedy. CAMFT is devoted to selling psychological well being, advancing the MFT occupation, sustaining excessive requirements {of professional} ethics and increasing consciousness for the occupation of marriage and household therapists.
Contact Data:
Holly Daniels
Director of Medical Affairs
(858) 703-8730
Associated Information
CAMFT Press Release Medicare Omnibus 12.23.pdf
Associated Pictures
This content material was issued via the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.
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