Pallone Leads Democratic Efforts to Pass Mental Health Reform

Press Release

Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), top Democrat of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led Democratic efforts to advance mental health reform legislation through the House of Representatives. H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, passed the House by a vote of 422-2.

Pallone worked to have several provisions added to the final legislation including expanding access to mental health services for children through Medicaid. Specifically, the legislation helps ensure that children residing in an Institution for Mental Disease (IMDs) are entitled to a full range of Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) services through the Medicaid program, from their choice of provider.

This benefit is currently standard for all other children in Medicaid. This provision, a proposal in the President's FY 2017 budget, equalizes the benefits that children are entitled to when in psychiatric care, ensuring that such children receive all of the medically-necessary services they need during their stay in a defined IMD.

"Despite the advances we've made in recent years, far too many individuals with mental illness still go without the treatment they need to live long, healthy and productive lives," said Pallone. "This legislation is a reflection of what is possible when we work together in a bipartisan manner and it is a strong first step towards helping New Jersey families who face mental health issues."

Pallone was also instrumental in having new grant programs included in the bill that expand access to critical mental health services, including adult suicide prevention, community crisis response systems, and telehealth child psychiatry access grant programs.

The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to states to enhance community-based crisis response systems. It also funds the development of bed registries for inpatient psychiatric and residential community mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities.

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