Dear Behavioral Health Leader,

As a key stakeholder, your involvement is instrumental in shaping the future of mental health care in our state. We are excited to share with you key priority legislation that is set to shape the future of behavioral health in our state.

House Bill 1205 ensures that services offered by recovery community organizations for behavioral health recovery must meet specific standards. This legislation encompasses various aspects that will play a pivotal role in improving mental health and addiction services in Indiana.

The bill builds upon the success of Senate Bill 1 from the previous legislative session, which played a crucial role in fortifying our state's behavioral health infrastructure. Recovery community organizations are instrumental in our collective battle against the opioid crisis. However, their limited budgets have often hindered their ability to serve our vulnerable community members adequately.

The key significance of House Bill 1205 lies in its potential to unlock crucial funding opportunities through the Recovery Works program. Certification at the state level ensures long-term sustainability for these organizations, allowing them to continue their invaluable work. By certifying Indiana's recovery community organizations and implementing further standards, this bill aims to make a tangible, positive impact on the lives of those on their journey to recovery.

House Bill No. 1205 represents an opportunity to reshape the landscape of behavioral health recovery in our state. We invite all stakeholders, advocates, and community leaders to join us in our efforts to ensure that individuals in recovery receive the highest standard of care.

Stay tuned for further updates on this bill and other legislative developments throughout the 2024 legislative session. For the full list of bills MHAI has been tracking this past month and a special House Concurrent Resolution, please continue reading below.

Be Well,

Steve McCaffrey

President and CEO

Mental Health America of Indiana

Bills heard in the House:

House Bill 1216: MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CERTAIN DETAINEES (Steuerwald, G) - The bill removes certain provisions from current law that specify that medical services provided to an individual who is involuntarily committed to a facility for mental health services are considered medically necessary when they align with generally accepted clinical care guidelines.

House Bill 1260: INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (Barrett, B) - This bill addresses various matters related to healthcare and administrative processes in Indiana.

House Bill 1203: POSSESSION OF XYLAZINE (Meltzer, J) - Listing of xylazine as a controlled substance. Makes xylazine a schedule II controlled substance.

House Bill 1238: COMPETENCY TO STAND TRIAL (Mcnamara, W) - Eligibility for Mental Health and Addiction Forensic Treatment Services:

An individual is eligible for mental health and addiction forensic treatment services if they meet certain criteria, including being a resident of Indiana, being at least 18 years old (or younger with special approval), and entering the criminal justice system as a felon or for competency restoration services.

House Bill 1156: REPORT ON MEDICAID BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS SERVICES (Greene, R) - This bill focuses on monitoring and reporting the effects of changes in Medicaid reimbursement rates for applied behavior analysis services within the realm of behavioral health, with the aim of ensuring transparency and accountability in this area of care.

House Bill 1205: MENTAL HEALTH STANDARDS AND REPORTING (Meltzer, J) - This legislation mandates that the secretary of family and social services ensures that when recovery community organizations offer services for behavioral health recovery, they must meet specific standards. These standards should be certified by a designated entity and align with the criteria set by the division of mental health and addiction. Additionally, the law outlines the details that community mental health centers must include in their annual reports.

Bills Heard in the Senate:

Senate Bill 110: SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE COMPACT (Crider, M) - Establishes the social work licensure compact.This bill creates a compact (an agreement) among states to make it easier for licensed social workers to provide their services across state lines while still maintaining important regulations to protect the public.

Senate Bill 45: TRAUMA INFORMED CARE (Crider, M) - Requires an individual who holds an active license as a nurse to complete a trauma informed care training program (program) at least once every two years. This bill aims to ensure that healthcare professionals in Indiana are trained in trauma-informed care to better serve patients who may have experienced trauma or adversity in their lives.

Senate Bill 132: PROFESSIONS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (Brown, L) - Authorizes the office of the secretary of family and social services to implement a managed care program for certain Medicaid recipients, specifying how claims will be paid and penalties for violations.

Senate Bill 139: PSILOCYBIN TREATMENT PROGRAM (Charbonneau, E) - 

This bill establishes a program that supports research into the therapeutic use of psilocybin, particularly for addressing mental health and other medical conditions. It creates a fund to provide financial assistance to research institutions conducting these studies and outlines specific requirements for conducting such clinical research. The goal is to better understand the potential benefits and risks associated with psilocybin and its use as a treatment option in Indiana.

Senate Bill 3: PRIOR AUTHORIZATION  (Johnson, T) -

The bill prohibits utilization review entities from requiring prior authorization for medication related to opioid use disorder, which means that individuals seeking medication for opioid use disorder would not need prior authorization to access this treatment. This bill places restrictions on utilization review entities, limiting them to impose prior authorization requirements on less than 1% of specialty or healthcare services and 1% of healthcare providers annually. It also prohibits prior authorization for certain services and drugs, sets requirements for entities that require prior authorization, mandates physician review of adverse determinations and appeals, and provides exemptions if the entity approves 80% of prior authorization requests for a specific healthcare service. Additionally, it repeals outdated prior authorization provisions and makes related adjustments.

Senate Bill 233: CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS (Crider, M) -

This bill mandates that the office of the secretary of family and social services and the division of mental health and addiction must include eligible community mental health centers in either the community mental health services demonstration program, subject to approval, or in a Medicaid state plan amendment or waiver for Medicaid reimbursement for certified community behavioral health clinic services by specific Medicaid providers, in the event Indiana is not approved to participate in the demonstration program.

Senate Bill 142: COVERAGE FOR MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE SERVICES (Buchanan, B) - This legislation states that if a state employee health plan covers emergency medical services, it must also provide reimbursement (with applicable deductibles and coinsurance) for individuals who receive emergency medical services as part of a mobile integrated healthcare program. Similarly, policies of accident and sickness insurance that cover emergency medical services must reimburse for such services when provided within a mobile integrated healthcare program. This requirement also applies to individual contracts and group contracts that offer coverage for emergency medical services.

House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 11, has been passed, recognizing the importance of May as Mental Health Awareness Month and honoring the work of Mental Health America (MHA).

Mental health conditions encompass a wide range of challenges, including schizophrenia, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and many others. Shockingly, nearly 44 million adults in the United States experience mental health conditions each year, which equates to approximately 1 in 5 American adults.

Closer to home, 32.9 percent of Hoosier adults reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both in 2023, according to the nonprofit organization KFF.

Mental Health Awareness Month has a long history in the United States, dating back to 1949. Its primary purpose is to combat stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that benefit the millions of people affected by mental health conditions. Organizations like Mental Health America play a crucial role in achieving these goals. MHA works tirelessly to bridge the mental health equity gap, increase nationwide awareness and understanding through public education, offer direct services, provide valuable tools, and conduct essential research.

Mental Health America has a rich history, tracing its roots to 1909 when it was founded as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene by Clifford W. Beers, who personally experienced mental health conditions. Beers was inspired to advocate for reform after witnessing the inadequate treatment of mentally ill patients in hospitals where he himself had been confined. His efforts led to the creation of the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, which has since evolved into Mental Health America.

Today, Mental Health America operates both nationally and within communities across the country. Here in Indiana, we are fortunate to have the state affiliate, Mental Health America of Indiana, and various other MHA community affiliates working diligently to support mental health.

Mental Health America's annual conference brings together members from all over the nation, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Additionally, MHA publishes the highly regarded "State of Mental Health in America" report, a respected resource in the field of mental health.

Thanks to the dedication of organizations like Mental Health America, we are witnessing a shift in the conversation surrounding mental health. The stigma is dissipating, and there is a growing recognition of the importance of mental health and access to quality mental health treatment.

As we embrace May as Mental Health Awareness Month, let us join together to support the work of Mental Health America and continue our efforts to create a more compassionate and understanding society for all those affected by mental health conditions.