Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019 and the important provisions within this legislation to address mental health and addiction.

Every one of us knows someone who has struggled, is struggling, or will struggle with mental health issues. Whether it is a friend, a neighbor, or a family member, mental illness impacts all of us in some way.

Several years ago, we took a huge step forward to expand access to mental health services in communities across the Nation. The Excellence in Mental Health Act of 2014 was the culmination of years of hard work. At the same time, it was the largest Federal investment toward improving community-based mental healthcare.

That legislation allowed States to establish certified community behavioral health centers to ensure everyone who needs mental health services can receive them. These clinics have expanded mental health and substance use treatments dramatically, increasing access to 24-hour care, and they have been extremely successful in showing us how we can achieve real results in our communities.

Patients can receive medication-assisted treatment at almost every clinic. For many patients and providers, this is the first time that such services have been available in their communities, which are very often in medically underserved areas. Over half of these clinics now offer same-day access to care, which is so critical to those suffering from an acute mental health crisis.

I recently heard from a clinic in Oregon that will lose funding at the end of this week if Congress doesn't act now. This clinic has doubled the amount of time their doctors are able to spend with patients, has been able to hire more staff, and goes to meet patients in the community to better serve the unique needs of this population. We cannot afford to let this progress expire.

For far too long, those with mental illness have been left in the shadows, and mental health prevention and treatment have been left out of our health systems.

The mental health crisis in this country is very personal to me, and I have been fighting for patients and their loved ones for many years. I believe there is a lot we can do better to stop or slow down the hurt and pain patients and families feel when mental health is left unaddressed.

The bill before us today will extend this critical program in two States, Oregon and Oklahoma, until June and is a first step toward funding and expanding the program later this year.

There is a lot more we must do, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleague, Representative Markwayne Mullin, to preserve this vital program.

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