The Politically Divided 118th Congress: NBC News recently noted that more than 50 years ago, two female lawmakers led a Congressional Committee for the first time: the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Beauty Shop. This Congress, women will hold all four of the top positions on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for […]
“Blue Sky” Thinking – Emerging Trends, Priorities, and Opportunities: The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) released its Special Publication Priorities on the Health Horizon: Informing PCORI’s Strategic Plan in 2021. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was established as a component of President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with the mission of identifying […]
Perhaps more than ever before, this Administration has highlighted for the nation the critical importance of mental and behavioral health. Last year, U.S. Public Health Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released his Advisory — Protecting Youth Mental Health. “(T)he challenges today’s generation of young people face are unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate. And the effect […]
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra proffered: “Budgets are about more than dollars. They’re about values. And the President’s budget is a reflection of our values as a nation. From addressing health disparities to strengthening behavioral health to investing in our children, this budget will help turn hardship into hope for millions […]
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) provides an intriguing view of the multitude of forces influencing our nation’s health care system, from the broad interprofessional perspective of the behavioral sciences, law, engineering, nursing, medicine, etc. Some of the timeliest topics recently addressed include: Health Disparities, Global Warming, Advances in Technology (including Telehealth), Disinformation regarding COVID-19, […]
Five years ago, at the 2016 State Leadership Conference, Expanding the Practice Spectrum, Governor Ted Strickland was the APAPO-PAC Honoree, and if I recall correctly, Representative Tim Murphy also attended. Katherine Nordal, Executive Director for Professional Practice, enthusiastically welcomed the attendees to the 33rd annual conference: “It’s been quite a year for APA. I know […]
Visionary Leadership One of the surprisingly positive aspects of the COVID-19 experience has been society’s growing awareness of the importance of quality mental health services and the adverse consequences of our traditionally reactive, individual-oriented approach. On a personal level, we have been very pleased with the recent increase in media attention to this critical aspect […]
An Exciting Vision for the Future — Senior Administration Today the Veterans Administration (VA) provides care at 170 Medical Centers and 1,074 outpatient sites. The 2018 VA Projection Model developed estimates there were 19.5 million Veterans in 2020 and that by 2048 the number will be 13.6 million, a 43% decline. This year, 2021, there […]
The last major legislation which President Trump signed was the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L.116-260). This legislation provided $1.4 trillion for the Fiscal Year 2021 federal government funding and $900 billion for the provisions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Aimee Grace, formerly on the staff of Hawaii’s U.S. Senator Brian Schatz: “It has been […]
Though they may seem initially like an odd couple, psychology and abolition are inextricably linked. Abolition has meant many things throughout history, and in this paper, it is defined as the dismantling of the prison-industrial complex (PIC) and the creation of structures of accountability and care that are fundamentally non-punitive. Activist and organizer, Rachel Herzing, […]