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CBHA's Public Newsletter
December 3rd, 2020
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CBHA Announcements & Updates
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A Message from CBHA Leadership
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Dear Behavioral Health Colleagues,
I hope you had a relaxing and safe Thanksgiving! As we enter the new year and with the news of a COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Still, we must remain resolute in our commitment to slowing the spread and supporting our behavioral health community through these challenging circumstances. Speaking of the vaccinations under review, CBHA commends the tireless work of several biopharmaceutical companies including several members of our California Access Coalition that have contributed to these efforts, and for this work we are so grateful.
Please know that CBHA continues to tirelessly advocate for evidence-based local, state, and federal policy improvements in behavioral health. Together, we can promote comprehensive, responsive, and integrated service systems by shaping and leading public policy, advocating for needed legislation and funding, and creating a forum for exchanging information and expertise. As the Legislative Session kicks into high gear, we will be reaching out to you, our members and sister organization allies, to support the legislative and policy efforts CBHA will sponsor in 2021. No surprise to the community that the first legislation you will hear about reflects our ongoing efforts to bring behavioral health training and education to teachers and students. We ask for your support and offer ours of your priority behavioral health legislation as well.
Thank you for being our allies during this unprecedented time.
In Service,
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Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
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CDC: Include Behavioral Health Organizations in Phase 1 Vaccine Distribution
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On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released their COVID-19 vaccine distribution recommendations.
As written, the CDC’s vaccine distribution recommendations leave open-ended if behavioral health providers and organizations are included under the Phase 1 vaccination category.
Failing to specify whether behavioral health providers and organizations will have immediate vaccine access is unacceptable, given the essential work done every day during the pandemic to provide life-saving mental health and substance use disorder treatment and services in communities across the country.
However, the panel’s recommendations are not yet final and must be approved by the CDC Director before becoming official CDC state guidance.
To emphasize our point, National Council of Behavioral Health released a public statement in response to the initial vaccine recommendations, citing the need for behavioral health providers and organizations to have uninhibited access to testing support, the funding necessary to meet increased demand and Phase 1 vaccine distribution.
We are frontline and essential – and we will make sure that behavioral health providers and organizations get prioritized support.
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Do You Want More Updates On Trends & Events in Behavioral Health?
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CBHA's Virtual Provider Sustainability Forum was a Huge Success!
Thank you to everyone who joined us last month for CBHA's 2020 Virtual Provider Sustainability Forum formed in partnership with OPEN MINDS and Qualifacts + Credible. The Executive Sessions were be led by OPEN MINDS Senior Associates, Ken Carr, Joe Naughton-Travers, and Paul Duck who brought over 30 years of finance, technology, data analysis and reporting experience in the health and human service field.
The Forum was well attended by behavioral health leaders from across the State of California!
A special thank you to Senator Scott Weiner & Assembly Minority Leader Marie Waldron for their wonderful remarks!
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Behavioral Health in the News
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'We Can Begin To Heal the Wounds.' Inside the Efforts to Provide Mental Health Care to Families Separated at the U.S. Border
By Jasmine Aguilera
"In November 2019, a court ordered the U.S. government to cover the cost of mental health care until January 2021 for any families who experienced separation at the U.S.-Mexico border. The court order came after three immigrant mothers who experienced separation sued the federal government in 2018 on behalf of all separated parents to ask the government to pay for mental health services. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that deadline was pushed back to June 2021. Now organizations are working to connect families to these services.
In March of this year, Seneca Family of Agencies, a nonprofit organization based in California, was awarded a $14.5 million contract by the government to begin providing free mental health services to the families who experienced separation. Through a program titled Todo Por Mi Familia (All For My Family), Seneca collaborates with several other nonprofit organizations to locate families who could benefit from the court order. Some of those, like the ACLU, Al Otro Lado, Catholic Legal Immigration Network and Kids in Need of Defense, provide legal assistance, while others like Justice in Motion are assisting with the search for parents.”
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Pelosi and Schumer back $900 billion coronavirus stimulus plan as basis for negotiations
By Jacob Pramuk
"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to use a $908 billion bipartisan coronavirus stimulus plan as the basis for relief talks as Congress scrambles to send aid to Americans before the end of the year.
In a joint statement, the Democratic leaders endorsed a more narrow aid approach than they have previously. The California and New York Democrats had insisted on legislation that costs at least $2.2 trillion.
“While we made a new offer to Leader McConnell and Leader McCarthy on Monday, in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by Senators yesterday should be used as the basis for immediate bipartisan, bicameral negotiations,” Schumer and Pelosi said.
McConnell quickly shot down the bipartisan plan after its release Tuesday. He has endorsed only about $500 billion in spending in a new package."
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We appreciate our Business Associates for their partnerships that both provide our members exceptional services and sponsor our advocacy efforts.
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