Federal Legislation

CMHDA tracks federal legislation of relevance to local mental health directors and the communities they serve. The following links provides information on those issues that CMHDA has identified as high priority issues.

Federal Legislative and Public Policy Highlights

Health Care Reform: Implementation

Health Care Reform: Background

Economic Stimulus

Health Information Exchange

  • CMHDA Letter to Rep. Patrick Kennedy, "HR 5040 HIT Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act - Support" (June 7, 2010) (PDF 22 KB)
  • CMHDA Letter to House Energy and Commerce on Health Information Technologies (May 8, 2009) (PDF 39 KB)

 Mental Health Parity

  • Mental Health America Presentation, "Parity and Health Care Reform: Important Changes for Behavioral Health" (July 8, 2010) (PDF 106 KB)
  • CMHDA Submission Re: Interim Final Rules under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008; Final Rule (April 28, 2010) (PDF 131 KB)
  • Patton Boggs, LLP, Executive Summary of Parity Interim Final Rules Analysis (by request of the Parity Implementation Coalition) (April 2010) (Link)
  • Mental Health Parity - Interim Regulation (February 2, 2010) (Link)
  • APH Consulting Group, “Special Report: MHPAEA Regulations, Operational Analysis of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act Interim Final Rule” (January 2010) (PDF 846 KB)
  • Testimony of Patricia Ryan, “Challenges and Opportunities of Federal Mental Health Parity Implementation: Impact on California's Public Mental Health System” (October 6, 2009) (PDF 71 KB)
  • AHP Behavioral Health Parity Series, White Paper #1: Environmental Scan Parity (June 2009) (PDF 600 KB)

Federal Resources

For More Information

  • Patricia Ryan, MPA – Executive Director
    Contact for information pertaining to federal issues and the federal budget.
    pryan@cmhda.org