Advocacy Alert: December 2025 Legislative News Round Up

January 8, 2026

For those of you who follow us on social media know, we post news stories on a daily basis that are connected to the behavioral health and addiction treatment industry.

Many of these are news stories regarding legislation, so once a month we send out a 'news roundup' of related news stories we've posted. Unless otherwise stated, NBHAP has no official stance on any of these stories: the intention is to share so that we're all better informed as to what's happening in the legislative world.

A reminder that NBHAP members get access to a monthly update with our advocate in Washington, DC, to find out what is going on and ask any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us for more information on that.

MI | Suicides plague Michigan farms. Michigan just ended money to help
Shared 12/8/2025
Farmers have one of the highest rates of suicide in Michigan — more than five times the overall state rate.

Representative Becca Balint introduces H.R. 6249: Addressing Addiction After Disasters Act
Shared 12/12/2025
Specifically, the bill aims to include services related to substance use and alcohol use disorders alongside existing mental health support services.

IN | Indiana bill proposes ban on online sweepstakes casinos
Shared 12/12/2025
The administrative bill also includes measures on horse racing, alcohol enforcement, tobacco licensing, and various criminal-code updates.

NV | Nevada U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Bipartisan Senate Colleagues Introduce Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act
Shared 12/15/2025
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) were created by Congress in 2014 to provide mental health, substance use, and crisis care services for people who need them most.

AR | OBHAW honors four area lawmakers as 2025 Behavioral Health Champions
Shared 12/15/2025
OBHAW recognized Representatives Richard McGrew, R-District 85, Les Warren, R-District 84, Rick McClure, R-District 29, and Bruce Cozart, R-District 91, for their support of five bills "aimed at expanding treatment options, improving how Arkansans access services, and strengthening the mental health workforce," according to a news release.

CA | How Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court lost its teeth in the California Legislature
Shared 12/17/2025
Gov. Newsom called for ‘accountability’ on mental health and homelessness when he proposed his CARE Court program. What became law, however, pleased almost no one.

OH| Bill would ban mental health care for minors without parental consent
Shared 12/17/2025
Medication cannot be provided under current law, and the parent or guardian is not liable for the costs of services received unless parental consent is provided.

DC | Two bills could improve mental health and substance use treatment in D.C.
Shared 12/18/2025
The bills, the Behavioral Health Housing Voucher Transparency Amendment Act of 2025 and the Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 2025, both make changes to existing programs.

IL | Pritzker signs behavioral healthcare parity law, ensuring proper reimbursement rates for providers
Shared 12/19/2025
The mental health parity law calls on the Illinois Department of Insurance to utilize a new formula to calculate minimum reimbursement rates for providers and publish them in a bulletin for insurance companies.

OK | Oklahoma Lawmakers ask if privatizing Behavioral Health Centers is the answer
Shared 12/22/2025
It’s an RFP, and it’s intended to look for bids for possible private operators regarding Behavioral Mental Health Centers. Specifically for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs).

KY | Kentucky set to pull funding from peer support for recovery, is asked to reconsider
Shared 12/22/2025
On Jan. 1, Kentucky’s licensing standards will change, making thousands of peer support specialists, including Sudduth, no longer eligible to work in many treatment and recovery settings or be paid through Medicaid, the federal-state program that is the financial backbone of many recovery providers.

MA | New bill seeks to create new modes of transport for behavioral health patients
Shared 12/24/2025
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a bill that would test alternatives to ambulances and police for transporting behavioral health patients, which supporters say could help reduce strains on emergency medical services and lower costs.

MT | Montana Enacts Full Ban on Online Gambling, Felony Charges Now Apply
Shared 12/26/2025
Montana’s full online gambling ban went into effect Oct. 1, 2025, targeting sweepstakes casinos and prediction markets with felony charges.

ID | Idaho Officials Question Mental Health Cuts
Shared 12/30/2025
Idaho officials say they cannot say for certain whether recent cuts to mental health services will save the state money over time, even though those cuts were made to deal with a growing budget problem.

MI | Michigan lawmakers introduce bill to enhance rural mental health services
Shared 12/30/2025
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at providing mental health services in communities in Michigan.

Questions? Concerns?

As always, we want your input.

A reminder that NBHAP members get regular access to our advocate in Washington, DC. If you have any questions about NBHAP's advocacy efforts, please contact us.