The Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) monitors Congressional actions to impact additional mental health and addiction issues. Although the listed topics are where we find the greatest concentration of legislation affecting behavioral health in our nation, other issues are raised on occasion and will be found here.
Issue statements from past Congresses appear below. For statements from the current session of Congress, view the other mental health and addiction issues statements page.
- MHLG Urges Mental Health Reform, 11.14.16: The Mental Health Liaison Group sent a letter to Senate leadership in support of passing the Mental Health Reform Act (S. 2680) and the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (H.R. 2646).
- MHLG Supports the Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act (S. 2685/H.R. 4374), 9.28.16: A Mental Health Liaison Group letter to Senator Durbin and Representative Schakowsky emphasizing the importance of this legislation in assisting colleges and universities to address their growing mental health needs.
- MHLG Support Letter Mental Health Reform Act 2016
- MHLG Excellence Act Expansion Support Letter 2016
- MHLG Urges HELP Committee Take Up the Mental Health Reform Act of 2015 (S. 1945), 10.27.15. The Mental Health Liaison Group sent a letter to HELP Committee leadership advocating their support of this legislation.
- MHLG Supports the Anna Westin Act of 2015 (S. 1865), 10.2.15: A Mental Health Liaison Group letter to Senators Klobuchar, Ayotte, Baldwin, and Capito in support of this bill that would help those affected by eating disorders.
- MHLG Supports the Anna Westin Act of 2015 (H.R. 2515), 10.2.15: A Mental Health Liaison Group letter to Representatives Deutch and Ros-Lehtinen in support of this bill that would help those affected by eating disorders.
- MHLG Letter of Support of the Anna Westin Act of 2015 S. 1865 – 10/2/15
- MHLG Letter of Support of the Ann Westin Act of 2015 H.R. 2515 – 10/2/15
- MHLG Letter of Support of the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015 final – 8/6/15
- MHLG Advocates for the Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015 (S. 1893), 8.6.15: A Mental Health Liaison Group letter to Senators Alexander and Murray of the HELP Committee supporting S. 1893, which fosters early detection of mental disorders, awareness, and understanding.
- MHLG Letter in Support of Senate Reauthorization of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act of 2015 – 5/15/15
- MHLG Supports the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2015, 5.15.15: The Mental Health Liaison Group sent a letter to Senators Reed and Murkowski in response to their legislation, which would support youth and college suicide prevention grants across the country.
- MHLG Letter in Support of Medical Evaluation Parity for Service Members (MEPS) Act (S. 646) – 4/10/15
- MHLG Letter in Support of the Mental Health in Schools Act – 3/25/15
- MHLG Letter on CHIP Extension – 3/15/15
- MHLG Thank You Letter on President’s Budget to Eliminate the Medicare 190-day Lifetime Limit – 2/19/15
- MHLG Letter on Medicare Budget Equity – 2/19/15
- MHLG Letter on Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2015 – 2/18/15
- MHLG Supports the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2015, 2.18.15: The Mental Health Liaison Group sent a letter to Representatives Jolly and Davis in response to their legislation, which would support youth and college suicide prevention grants across the country.
- MHLG Comment to the Proposed ONC Strategic Plan “Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020” – 2-5-15
- MHLG Critiques ONC Health IT Strategic Plan, 2.5.15: The Mental Health Liaison Group sent a letter to Acting ONC Assistant Secretary DeSalvo suggesting an alteration of their plan to include that behavioral health care settings must receive meaningful use payments to afford EHRs.
- MHLG Letter in Support of Caring for America’s Heroes Act – 10/17/14
- MHLG Sen Finance Final letter 9 30 13
- MHLG Letter to the House of Representatives in Support of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization
- MHLG Letter to Senator Murray on Children’s Recovery from Trauma Act of 2013 (S. 380) – 5/8/13
- MHLG Letter to Senate HELP Committee – 4/8/13
- MHLG Letter on Mental Health in Schools Act – 3/18/13
- MHLG Letter on Excellence in Mental Health Act – 3/18/13
- MHLG Letter on Mental Health First Aid – 2/25/13
- MHLG Letter on Mental Health in Schools Act – 2/8/13
- MHLG Letter on Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2013 – 1/31/13
- Mental Health Liaison Group recommendation letter to Vice President Biden’s Commission – 1/14/13
- MHLG hearing record letter for hearing entitled “Examining Medicare and Medicaid Coordination for Dual-Eligibles” – 7/18/12
- MHLG letter in support of the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, H.R. 2783 – 8/11/11
- Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2011. Letter 4-5-11
- Campus Mental Health Improvement Act. Letter supporting HR 1833, 2-11-11
- 112th Congress Introduction of the Mental Health in Schools Act of 2011. 2-9-11
- MHLG letter on Health Information Technology (H.R. 5040) – 5/20/10
- Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2009. Letter endorsing S. 678 to the full Senate, 2-26-10.
- Establishing a Network of Health-Advancing National Centers of Excellence for Depression (ENHANCED) Act. Letter endorsing H.R. 4204 to Reps. Kennedy & Murphy, 12-9-09.
- Letter supporting the nomination of Pam Hyde as SAMHSA Administrator, 11-19-09.
- Mental Health in Schools Act of 2009 Legislation for expanding the availability of comprehensive school-based mental health services for students in communities across America.
- Endorsement letter of S. 1857 to Sen. Stabenow, 11-13-09.
- MHLG Letter in Support of Medicaid Emergency Psychiatric Care Demonstration Project Act, H.R. 1415 – 3/13/09
- Letter to Senator Jack Reed endorsing his health reform amendment on mental health/primary care co-location, 7-8-09.
- Letter to Senator Durbin endorsing the Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act. 2-17-09.
- Healthy Transitions Act of 2009, (HR 691) Endorsement letter to Reps Stark, Bono-Mack and Camp.
- Letter supporting S. 1854, the Stop Senior Suicide Act, 8-30-07.
- Letter to Speaker Hastert and Senator Frist opposing
Association Health Plan legislation, 1-16-03. - Letters to Senators Frist, Jeffords & Breaux on their draft Patients’ Bill of Rights Plus Act, 4-30-01.
- Endorsement letters, 4-10-01
- Patients’ Bill of Rights Plus Act (S.Amdt. 3694) Opposition Letter, 7-12-00
- Letter to United Behavioral Health Corp., 11-6-99
- Letter to Speaker Hastert on rule for floor debate, 9-30-99
- Health Care Quality & Choice Act (H.R. 2824) Opposition Letter, 9-22-99
- Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act (H.R. 2723) Endorsement letter, 9-7-99
- Letter to Senator Lott, endorsing S. 1890Endorsement letter, 9-23-98
- Patients’ Bill of Rights Act of 1998 (S. 1890 / H.R. 3605) “Endorsement letter, 5-6-98
- Letter to President Clinton on Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health
Care Industry “Letter to President Clinton, 11-18-97 - Patient Access to Responsible Care Act (H.R. 1415 / S. 644) Endorsement letter, 6-6-97
- Health Insurance Bill of Rights Act of 1997 (H.R. 820 / S. 353) Endorsement letter, 6-6-97
- Letter supporting S. 2510, the Small Employers Health Benefits Program Act, 5-9-06.
- Letter opposing S. 1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, 4-12-06.
- Letter opposing S. 1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, 3-7-06.
- Health Care for Working Families Act (S. 2639) Endorsement letter, 7-30-02