Advocacy Alert: June 2023 Legislative News Round Up

July 6, 2023

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, BHAP 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.

OR | Oregon bill would provide prisoners substance use and mental health treatment
Shared 6/6/2023
Oregon Rep. Maxine Dexter, D- Portland, says the lack of treatment means that adults in custody are losing their constitutional right to health care while incarcerated.

MT | Bill to provide $300 million to state mental health services gets signed
Shared 6/7/2023
Montana’s behavioral health system will get an infusion of $300 million with the signing of a bill passed last legislative session.

AL | Suicide, crisis hotline bill moves out of Alabama Senate committee, stalls in House
Shared 6/12/2023
A bill to fund the Alabama 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline remains in a House committee following disagreements over funding.

NJ | Push to give NJ firefighters critical mental health assistance
Shared 6/12/2023
Legislation would allow firefighters and family members to receive confidential psychiatric services.

NC | How to spend $1 billion to improve North Carolina’s mental health system
Shared 6/20/2023
The state House has developed a wide-ranging plan to pay for mental health needs with part of the $1.7 billion federal ‘signing bonus’ the state expects to receive for expanding Medicaid.

Senate Judiciary advances bill targeting addiction recovery centers’ ‘patient brokering’
Shared 6/23/2023
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill Thursday morning that attempts to protect people addicted to drugs and alcohol from deceptive marketing tactics used by treatment providers.

Next step in tackling opioid crisis in America? Going after fentanyl’s global supply chain.
Shared 6/28/2023
“Of course it’s going to be expensive. But not as expensive as the damage that has been done,” said Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio of his FEND Off Fentanyl legislation.

MD | How to talk to your teen about cannabis legalization in Maryland
Shared 6/29/2023
Maryland’s recreational cannabis law applies to those age 21 and older and comes nearly a decade after the General Assembly legalized medical marijuana.

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